nothing more than this - part 2
Title: nothing more than this
Part 2: Krauser
Fandom: Resident Evil
Series: these ink-stained memories
Pairings: Krauser/Leon
Warnings: angst, unrequired love.
Word Count: 2374
Disclaimer: If I owned it, everyone would be in love with Leon.
Summary: 5 people who never told Leon Kennedy they loved him.
Part 1 - Claire
Krauser can’t believe that he’s being sent to act as backup for some fresh-faced pretty boy. He’s a decorated soldier not a freaking babysitter and he deserves some damn respect. So yeah, he’s not exactly thrilled to meet Leon Kennedy.
But a soldier follows orders so Krauser makes his way to the drop point in South America. The only high point of the journey is when his radio contact says that Kennedy’s plane was shot down in the jungle and he’s trekking in on foot. However, that brief flash of amusement is replaced with more teeth-grinding when he discovers that pretty boy somehow still arrived before him anyway.
The kid is, well shit, pretty boy’s an understatement. He looks like he belongs in a tuxedo on the silver fucking screen. Krauser would probably try to tap that under other circumstances but he’s still pissed about being saddled with some green recruit. This is work, not pleasure, and Kennedy’s looks won’t stop a bullet if their mission goes FUBAR.
Of course, that doesn’t stop the soldier from letting the other man take point. No reason that Krauser can’t enjoy the fucking view.
He watches Kennedy during the hike to their destination, both for his own amusement and to check his competence. The other man obviously isn’t used to moving through the jungle but at least he’s practiced with his weapon; you don’t get a stance that comfortable without experience. So maybe Krauser hasn't been saddled with a total newbie after all.
If anything, he’s the one who feels like a damn rookie when they reach the village and find themselves ambushed by a horde of living dead. The soldier has heard rumors. Everyone in the business has heard rumors about Raccoon City and what blew it off the map, but Krauser’s vote had always been live weapon tests gone wrong. Only crackpots believed that corpses could be brought back to life.
But fiction just tried to take his head off and his new partner isn't as surprised as he should be. Kennedy is clearly irritated, but he takes the change in stride. Kid or not, his hands are steady on his weapon and there's definitely more to him than Krauser thought.
So the soldier follows his partner's lead until they have a chance to breathe and then he demands to know what the hell is going on. Because they've fought more than zombies; there's been toads, fish, and giant spiders, and an enormous monster that they'd barely driven off. This should not be possible and Krauser can feel panic gnawing at his mind.
It doesn't get better when Kennedy starts talking. His story is fantastical: an entire city murdered by mad science and a grand conspiracy to cover up the truth. But Krauser finds himself believing every word that the kid speaks. Because he doesn't try to grandstand or make himself sound braver and there's nothing but exhaustion in his voice. Soldiers only sound like that when discussing ops that haunt them so Krauser just listens quietly.
“And then I found myself working for the US government,” the other man finishes but the soldier can read between the lines. There's something almost brittle in Kennedy's expression, something that tells him his new partner didn't exactly volunteer. Krauser has been a soldier too long to have illusions about the lines that his side crosses now and then.
Of course, Kennedy seems to be the type who believes in right and wrong. He must have been shocked to discover that the world was not that simple. However, no matter how he got his start, the kid seems to be at peace with fighting monsters now.
So Krauser just claps him on the shoulder and tells him, “You’ve definitely seen some shit, comrade. Glad to have you on my side.”
His world view may have shifted, but they still have a mission and the girl that they discovered can help them hunt their target down. It's too good to be true of course, but the soldier is paranoid enough that he half expects the ambush and at least Manuela looks surprised when they walk into a trap. Their new guide may have her secrets, but he doesn't think that she betrayed them to her dad deliberately. Intentions matter in this business and that means Krauser may not have to kill her after all.
But first, there's his survival and he barely manages to grab hold of Kennedy before a wall of water slams into them both. It takes all his strength to keep from losing the other man amidst the whirling flood and by the time the water eases, he's exhausted to the bone. The soldier drags himself to dry land with a groan and his partner looks just as bedraggled when he flops down next to him.
So maybe he asks Kennedy about T-Veronica as a stop-gap measure, hoping that the story will give them both a chance to rest. But that doesn't mean the intel isn't valuable and he finds himself wondering about this Wesker fellow; considering the day he’s having, being superhuman doesn’t sound so bad at all.
Not that Kennedy needs improvement. Even filthy, wet, and battered, the other man is disgustingly attractive; if anything the bruises just make Krauser want him more. But he doesn’t know how the kid would take a proposition and this is hardly the best time.
So the soldier climbs back to his feet once Kennedy finishes talking and holds out a hand to help his partner stand. But when he pulls a bit too hard and the man stumbles into him, pressed firm against his chest, Krauser can't resist. He kisses Kennedy fiercely, half expecting to get punched for taking liberties. But his partner doesn’t struggle. The other man just groans and yanks him even closer, kissing back with everything he has.
Krauser actually loses track of his surroundings as he chases the heat of Kennedy’s mouth and he only pulls away when finally has to breathe. It’s been a long time since anyone affected him this strongly and he's pleased to see that Kennedy doesn’t look much better off. His hair is a wild bird's nest, his lips bruised red from kissing and his eyes a little glazed as he stares at Krauser hungrily.
“You all right there, partner?” the soldier asks, feeling rather gratified by the other man’s expression. “Not too much for you?”
“Fuck, our timing sucks,” is the reply and that’s a sentiment with which he heartily agrees. Honestly, when Kennedy asks Krauser for a rain check until their mission’s over, he’s pretty sure he just won the lottery. Only an idiot would refuse that offer and Krauser ain't no fool.
So they fight their way back to Manuela with a promise there between them and if he spends as much time watching Kennedy’s ass as his surroundings, the soldier feels it’s justified. That ass is damn good motivation for getting out alive and he needs whatever advantage he can find.
Because Krauser can handle the zombies. They’re unnatural as fuck but a well-placed bullet still kills them instantly. What Krauser can’t handle are the monsters that seem to crawl out of his nightmares, the creatures that leap like lightning from the dark. Seeing B.O.W.s like this - seeing their true power - proves the fight against the virus will be hopeless in the end. Sure Kennedy has won some battles, but the cost was far too high and it’s obvious that the higher ups don’t care about their men down on the ground.
That’s the kicker. Krauser could handle fighting B.O.W.s if he knew that he’d have backup; if he could rely on being warned about their skills ahead of time. But that’s obviously a pipe dream. Look at what USSTRATCOM gave Kennedy for this mission: the guns that he could carry, a bullshit presidential order to wipe out the virus somehow, and a partner who was thrown along for the ride.
Fucking expendable, that’s what they are. Krauser in particular was just a second thought and that makes the soldier burn. He’s always followed orders, always completed his missions, and this is how the brass repays him, throwing him away like nothing more than trash?
Krauser doesn’t know how Kennedy can remain so calm in this situation. The other man moves forward with grim determination, somehow certain that the three of them will make it through alive. He tells Manuela that her father will face justice and even though they should, the words don’t sound like lies. There’s something about his partner that seems to promise miracles and so the soldier pushes down the mix of terror and envy that’s clawing at his chest. Krauser may not fully agree with the details of this mission but he trusts in Kennedy.
However, that only makes it worse when his luck runs out. It’s not even a proper battle, just the fucking death throes of a creature that took too long to die. But when that foot-long spike slams into his arm, the soldier knows it’s over. This is it; he’s done.
Krauser holds himself together until their mission is completed. He stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Kennedy to wipe out Javier even as Manuela proves the virus truly can make people strong.
The soldier isn’t gonna cry about it; though when the three of them are finally extracted, he's not entirely sure if he’s happy he survived. Because his career is over. He knows it. Kennedy knows it. Even Manuela probably knows it and the medic who bandages his arm on their trip back to the States definitely knows it given the expression on her face.
However, Krauser isn’t ready to face that truth just yet. So instead of thinking about his future, he follows Kennedy.
The other man seems a little softer now, all that lethal competence tempered by exhaustion, but there’s still strength in the hands that pull Krauser through his door. The soldier wants to ruin him. He needs to take control after this fucked up mission, needs to prove that he still can.
So he pushes forward, crowding the other man with his greater height and size. Kennedy could challenge him; with the soldier's injury, he'd probably even win. But instead he just surrenders. The man lets Krauser shove him down, lets Krauser kiss and strip him. He leans into the touches, arches against his mouth. Kennedy is gorgeous like this - scars on skin and coiled muscles - but it's the sounds spilling from his lips that drive the soldier mad.
The other man moans freely, begs and groans and murmurs filth into his ear. Kennedy tells Krauser just how much he wants him, not shy about his pleasure, and he knows that voice will haunt him in his dreams. The soldier wants to see how loud the man can get, each cry a victory.
Krauser takes his time about it, using every trick he has at his disposal to break Kennedy apart. He needs to watch him shatter and know that he's the cause.
So the soldier holds off his own pleasure until he can push into his lover. Strong legs yank him closer as Kennedy writhes beneath him, all heat and sweat and gleaming skin. His voice cracks with every thrust and when he clenches tight, Krauser knows he won't last long. He wraps his hand around Kennedy's dick as the man gasps and shudders, a few rough strokes enough to do the job. Kennedy comes with a sharp cry, his fingers clutching Krauser's shoulders, and the soldier can't hold back anymore.
He takes one last stroke, burying himself deep before he falls. Krauser lets bliss wash over him, pressing his face into Kennedy's neck and breathing in his scent. Strong and masculine with a hint of something sharper - he could get addicted if he allowed it. He could get to craving the man that's in his arms.
But that's another thought that he can't bear to face right now. Instead, Krauser makes them both more comfortable before allowing sleep to pull him under, too sated to even care about the ache in his left arm.
---
Kennedy is gone when he wakes up. But there's a note on the bedside table and Krauser can't stop himself from smiling as he reads the awkward lines. For all his skill in battle and in bed, the other man is clearly hopeless with normal human interaction. The soldier has never been asked out quite so clumsily.
It would be simple to say yes. Even if his arm heals, Krauser won't still be a soldier. But he could date Kennedy. He could find another job in consulting or security since there's always a demand for men who have his skills. Krauser could be the person that the other man comes home to when he's finished fighting monsters for the US government.
It's a pretty dream, a tempting one, and when Krauser glances down, he's not surprised to see a name upon his arm. The letters are still faint, just the chance of what could be, and he could say yes so easily.
But even as he thinks this, he knows that it's impossible. Kennedy would be supportive. He would be sympathetic and understanding and that pity would be worse than anything. Krauser would want to prove his strength. He'd want to own his partner and that would be their ruin; he would grow to hate the other man eventually.
So Krauser chooses power and puts all thoughts of love aside. He throws away Kennedy's note without saving his phone number before reporting back to base and letting the doctor check him over. As expected, medical discharge is the best that he can hope for but he takes this news in stride. Because the soldier is already thinking about the future and once he tracks down Wesker, his skills will be in high demand.
He has the name. He still has contacts. Krauser does not need Kennedy and that night in his apartment, he slices the name clean off his arm. The soldier has made his choice and soon enough the other man will be just a memory.
Part 3: Luis
Part 2: Krauser
Fandom: Resident Evil
Series: these ink-stained memories
Pairings: Krauser/Leon
Warnings: angst, unrequired love.
Word Count: 2374
Disclaimer: If I owned it, everyone would be in love with Leon.
Summary: 5 people who never told Leon Kennedy they loved him.
Part 1 - Claire
Krauser can’t believe that he’s being sent to act as backup for some fresh-faced pretty boy. He’s a decorated soldier not a freaking babysitter and he deserves some damn respect. So yeah, he’s not exactly thrilled to meet Leon Kennedy.
But a soldier follows orders so Krauser makes his way to the drop point in South America. The only high point of the journey is when his radio contact says that Kennedy’s plane was shot down in the jungle and he’s trekking in on foot. However, that brief flash of amusement is replaced with more teeth-grinding when he discovers that pretty boy somehow still arrived before him anyway.
The kid is, well shit, pretty boy’s an understatement. He looks like he belongs in a tuxedo on the silver fucking screen. Krauser would probably try to tap that under other circumstances but he’s still pissed about being saddled with some green recruit. This is work, not pleasure, and Kennedy’s looks won’t stop a bullet if their mission goes FUBAR.
Of course, that doesn’t stop the soldier from letting the other man take point. No reason that Krauser can’t enjoy the fucking view.
He watches Kennedy during the hike to their destination, both for his own amusement and to check his competence. The other man obviously isn’t used to moving through the jungle but at least he’s practiced with his weapon; you don’t get a stance that comfortable without experience. So maybe Krauser hasn't been saddled with a total newbie after all.
If anything, he’s the one who feels like a damn rookie when they reach the village and find themselves ambushed by a horde of living dead. The soldier has heard rumors. Everyone in the business has heard rumors about Raccoon City and what blew it off the map, but Krauser’s vote had always been live weapon tests gone wrong. Only crackpots believed that corpses could be brought back to life.
But fiction just tried to take his head off and his new partner isn't as surprised as he should be. Kennedy is clearly irritated, but he takes the change in stride. Kid or not, his hands are steady on his weapon and there's definitely more to him than Krauser thought.
So the soldier follows his partner's lead until they have a chance to breathe and then he demands to know what the hell is going on. Because they've fought more than zombies; there's been toads, fish, and giant spiders, and an enormous monster that they'd barely driven off. This should not be possible and Krauser can feel panic gnawing at his mind.
It doesn't get better when Kennedy starts talking. His story is fantastical: an entire city murdered by mad science and a grand conspiracy to cover up the truth. But Krauser finds himself believing every word that the kid speaks. Because he doesn't try to grandstand or make himself sound braver and there's nothing but exhaustion in his voice. Soldiers only sound like that when discussing ops that haunt them so Krauser just listens quietly.
“And then I found myself working for the US government,” the other man finishes but the soldier can read between the lines. There's something almost brittle in Kennedy's expression, something that tells him his new partner didn't exactly volunteer. Krauser has been a soldier too long to have illusions about the lines that his side crosses now and then.
Of course, Kennedy seems to be the type who believes in right and wrong. He must have been shocked to discover that the world was not that simple. However, no matter how he got his start, the kid seems to be at peace with fighting monsters now.
So Krauser just claps him on the shoulder and tells him, “You’ve definitely seen some shit, comrade. Glad to have you on my side.”
His world view may have shifted, but they still have a mission and the girl that they discovered can help them hunt their target down. It's too good to be true of course, but the soldier is paranoid enough that he half expects the ambush and at least Manuela looks surprised when they walk into a trap. Their new guide may have her secrets, but he doesn't think that she betrayed them to her dad deliberately. Intentions matter in this business and that means Krauser may not have to kill her after all.
But first, there's his survival and he barely manages to grab hold of Kennedy before a wall of water slams into them both. It takes all his strength to keep from losing the other man amidst the whirling flood and by the time the water eases, he's exhausted to the bone. The soldier drags himself to dry land with a groan and his partner looks just as bedraggled when he flops down next to him.
So maybe he asks Kennedy about T-Veronica as a stop-gap measure, hoping that the story will give them both a chance to rest. But that doesn't mean the intel isn't valuable and he finds himself wondering about this Wesker fellow; considering the day he’s having, being superhuman doesn’t sound so bad at all.
Not that Kennedy needs improvement. Even filthy, wet, and battered, the other man is disgustingly attractive; if anything the bruises just make Krauser want him more. But he doesn’t know how the kid would take a proposition and this is hardly the best time.
So the soldier climbs back to his feet once Kennedy finishes talking and holds out a hand to help his partner stand. But when he pulls a bit too hard and the man stumbles into him, pressed firm against his chest, Krauser can't resist. He kisses Kennedy fiercely, half expecting to get punched for taking liberties. But his partner doesn’t struggle. The other man just groans and yanks him even closer, kissing back with everything he has.
Krauser actually loses track of his surroundings as he chases the heat of Kennedy’s mouth and he only pulls away when finally has to breathe. It’s been a long time since anyone affected him this strongly and he's pleased to see that Kennedy doesn’t look much better off. His hair is a wild bird's nest, his lips bruised red from kissing and his eyes a little glazed as he stares at Krauser hungrily.
“You all right there, partner?” the soldier asks, feeling rather gratified by the other man’s expression. “Not too much for you?”
“Fuck, our timing sucks,” is the reply and that’s a sentiment with which he heartily agrees. Honestly, when Kennedy asks Krauser for a rain check until their mission’s over, he’s pretty sure he just won the lottery. Only an idiot would refuse that offer and Krauser ain't no fool.
So they fight their way back to Manuela with a promise there between them and if he spends as much time watching Kennedy’s ass as his surroundings, the soldier feels it’s justified. That ass is damn good motivation for getting out alive and he needs whatever advantage he can find.
Because Krauser can handle the zombies. They’re unnatural as fuck but a well-placed bullet still kills them instantly. What Krauser can’t handle are the monsters that seem to crawl out of his nightmares, the creatures that leap like lightning from the dark. Seeing B.O.W.s like this - seeing their true power - proves the fight against the virus will be hopeless in the end. Sure Kennedy has won some battles, but the cost was far too high and it’s obvious that the higher ups don’t care about their men down on the ground.
That’s the kicker. Krauser could handle fighting B.O.W.s if he knew that he’d have backup; if he could rely on being warned about their skills ahead of time. But that’s obviously a pipe dream. Look at what USSTRATCOM gave Kennedy for this mission: the guns that he could carry, a bullshit presidential order to wipe out the virus somehow, and a partner who was thrown along for the ride.
Fucking expendable, that’s what they are. Krauser in particular was just a second thought and that makes the soldier burn. He’s always followed orders, always completed his missions, and this is how the brass repays him, throwing him away like nothing more than trash?
Krauser doesn’t know how Kennedy can remain so calm in this situation. The other man moves forward with grim determination, somehow certain that the three of them will make it through alive. He tells Manuela that her father will face justice and even though they should, the words don’t sound like lies. There’s something about his partner that seems to promise miracles and so the soldier pushes down the mix of terror and envy that’s clawing at his chest. Krauser may not fully agree with the details of this mission but he trusts in Kennedy.
However, that only makes it worse when his luck runs out. It’s not even a proper battle, just the fucking death throes of a creature that took too long to die. But when that foot-long spike slams into his arm, the soldier knows it’s over. This is it; he’s done.
Krauser holds himself together until their mission is completed. He stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Kennedy to wipe out Javier even as Manuela proves the virus truly can make people strong.
The soldier isn’t gonna cry about it; though when the three of them are finally extracted, he's not entirely sure if he’s happy he survived. Because his career is over. He knows it. Kennedy knows it. Even Manuela probably knows it and the medic who bandages his arm on their trip back to the States definitely knows it given the expression on her face.
However, Krauser isn’t ready to face that truth just yet. So instead of thinking about his future, he follows Kennedy.
The other man seems a little softer now, all that lethal competence tempered by exhaustion, but there’s still strength in the hands that pull Krauser through his door. The soldier wants to ruin him. He needs to take control after this fucked up mission, needs to prove that he still can.
So he pushes forward, crowding the other man with his greater height and size. Kennedy could challenge him; with the soldier's injury, he'd probably even win. But instead he just surrenders. The man lets Krauser shove him down, lets Krauser kiss and strip him. He leans into the touches, arches against his mouth. Kennedy is gorgeous like this - scars on skin and coiled muscles - but it's the sounds spilling from his lips that drive the soldier mad.
The other man moans freely, begs and groans and murmurs filth into his ear. Kennedy tells Krauser just how much he wants him, not shy about his pleasure, and he knows that voice will haunt him in his dreams. The soldier wants to see how loud the man can get, each cry a victory.
Krauser takes his time about it, using every trick he has at his disposal to break Kennedy apart. He needs to watch him shatter and know that he's the cause.
So the soldier holds off his own pleasure until he can push into his lover. Strong legs yank him closer as Kennedy writhes beneath him, all heat and sweat and gleaming skin. His voice cracks with every thrust and when he clenches tight, Krauser knows he won't last long. He wraps his hand around Kennedy's dick as the man gasps and shudders, a few rough strokes enough to do the job. Kennedy comes with a sharp cry, his fingers clutching Krauser's shoulders, and the soldier can't hold back anymore.
He takes one last stroke, burying himself deep before he falls. Krauser lets bliss wash over him, pressing his face into Kennedy's neck and breathing in his scent. Strong and masculine with a hint of something sharper - he could get addicted if he allowed it. He could get to craving the man that's in his arms.
But that's another thought that he can't bear to face right now. Instead, Krauser makes them both more comfortable before allowing sleep to pull him under, too sated to even care about the ache in his left arm.
---
Kennedy is gone when he wakes up. But there's a note on the bedside table and Krauser can't stop himself from smiling as he reads the awkward lines. For all his skill in battle and in bed, the other man is clearly hopeless with normal human interaction. The soldier has never been asked out quite so clumsily.
It would be simple to say yes. Even if his arm heals, Krauser won't still be a soldier. But he could date Kennedy. He could find another job in consulting or security since there's always a demand for men who have his skills. Krauser could be the person that the other man comes home to when he's finished fighting monsters for the US government.
It's a pretty dream, a tempting one, and when Krauser glances down, he's not surprised to see a name upon his arm. The letters are still faint, just the chance of what could be, and he could say yes so easily.
But even as he thinks this, he knows that it's impossible. Kennedy would be supportive. He would be sympathetic and understanding and that pity would be worse than anything. Krauser would want to prove his strength. He'd want to own his partner and that would be their ruin; he would grow to hate the other man eventually.
So Krauser chooses power and puts all thoughts of love aside. He throws away Kennedy's note without saving his phone number before reporting back to base and letting the doctor check him over. As expected, medical discharge is the best that he can hope for but he takes this news in stride. Because the soldier is already thinking about the future and once he tracks down Wesker, his skills will be in high demand.
He has the name. He still has contacts. Krauser does not need Kennedy and that night in his apartment, he slices the name clean off his arm. The soldier has made his choice and soon enough the other man will be just a memory.
Part 3: Luis