Escaping from terror - Leon Kennedy

Chapter 6

"She'd try to go, even in this state." I remarked as Hunnigan didn't respond for a second. 

Even her, they're forcing her into doing what they want. 

They really have a thing for making it look like we have no other choice. 

"Fine. I'm sending you the data right now. I'll debrief you tomorrow at 2 PM." She replied as I quickly hung up, noticing Lucia was walking in my direction. 

"Is something wrong, Leon?"

Lucia was looking at me with this curious gaze of hers, her head slightly tilted to the left as she nervously fidgeted with her splint.

I softly smiled.

"No, I'm okay. Did you get all stitched up?" I jokingly asked as she quickly pouted in disgust.

"I don't these black threads, but... Well, they kinda scolded me by saying stuff like my arm would be even uglier if I didn't take care of it, so..."

I sighed, feeling the corners of my mouth slightly rise as I had a pretty clear memory of what her arms looked like.

They're not wrong about the fact that she has suffered enough but strongly disagree with them saying her arms are looking bad.

She doesn't deserve that kind of comment.

"I got this for you." I ended up saying as I handed the soda can to her while she looked shocked for a second as she took it, looking weirdly at it afterward.

"Oh, you didn't have to..." She mumbled as I stared at her for a second as she opened it, thanking me as I directly went to pay the bill.

"H-hey! At least let me pay the-" She began to sulk as I poked her head with the tip of my right index.

"If you don't want me to do it, stop injuring yourself." I simply replied as she immediately pouted.

If she ever listens to me. 

I slowly took her hand, watching her slowly relax as we left the hospital.

The air's too thick. 

"Leon?" She ended up bringing as I focused back to Lucia, who was drinking her soda can. 

She was looking for my eyes.

"D-do you think my arms are ugly?"

I frowned, angered for a second as I watched her right arm, slowly raising her sleeve with the tip of my fingers. 

There is no way she's thinking that seriously.

The hospital staff...

She quickly looked away, sighing afterward.

Wait, she really does.

"I guess it's a yes-"

"No." I quickly stopped her as she looked down, a bit ashamed.

"But these scars..."

"Are scars ugly?" I questioned back as she pouted.

I leaned my face towards her, pointing my cheek with my left hand.

This was the scar I had acquired in Spain while fighting against Krauser.

"Do you think this scar is ugly?"

She gasped.

"But this one is a beautiful scar, not like mine." She reasoned as I shook my head in refusal.

"But we earned these scars in almost the same place. Doesn't that make us both ugly?"

Her eyes slowly widened, looking away for a second as she automatically bit her lip, her eyes starting to shine. 

I've messed up. 

Then, she raised her head to me, with a stronger gaze. 

"It doesn't change anything, in the end. Scars look better on men than on women, and it's a fact you can't refute. "

I closed my eyes for a second, feeling an ounce of disgust running through my body.

Fucking world we have to live in, right.

"But it's okay, I think I kinda understand what it is all about. If I had to choose between that and death, I'd definitely choose what I have right now." She then added as she softly laughed.

...

"How was it like?" I ended up asking as she softly tilted her head multiple times, thinking about it for a second.

"When?" She asked back as I thought about it for a second. 

"Before all of that. Your life."

She looked up for a second, her eyes fixated on the decor. 

"It was... Something else, I'd say. Back then, all my complaints were following my classes and having to buy fish at the village for dinner. But compared to now... I look a bit ridiculous. And the worst part is that I can't bring myself to eat fish anymore, just because of that."  

I regretted my question. 

She slightly smiled, her gaze wandering around for a few seconds as she seemed to think about something else.

"But really, now that I'm here... I can't complain anymore, really! I'm safe, and I even can choose my meals!" She ended up adding as she clapped her hands. 

The fact that even today her "safety" is still a crucial question...

I searched for her eyes, trying to search for the part of her speech that she maybe wasn't telling me about, as she just smiled at me, her lips slightly trembling as she quickly looked away.

I can't force her to say what's on her mind.

These were the times I never knew how to react with Lucia.

She was many things at once and is almost impossible to probe, except for her facial expressions, which made me hesitate every time I saw her like that, fearing I might hurt her.

She could be as direct as she could be asking for a certain delicateness, from time to time.

I have to change the subject.

"Talking about meals... Up for dinner?" I ended up asking as her face suddenly lightened, her lips starting to form a weird but almost passionate smile as she furiously nodded.

"Yes!! Always." She instantly replied, her peculiar green eyes starting to shine like when her passionate side's triggered.

I couldn't prevent myself from looking surprised for an instant as she quickly went back to her usual self, starting to chatter about all the kinds of foods she didn't get to eat while she was in the training facility. 

As I listened to every word she said, I couldn't help but feel unsatisfied, for a second.

There's still this wall between the two of us.

As I saw her staring at her phone for a moment, lightly biting her lip as her fingers thoughtfully went across her long hair, I swallowed my saliva, letting out a sigh of frustration as I cursed myself for a moment for daring to think of such things.

Just when I take her in my arms she's blushing, so I can't even dare imagine what would happen if we...

I ran my hand through my hair, trying to shake these intrusive thoughts away as I could feel her instigating gaze watching me from afar.

"A-are you okay?" She asked as I nodded in affirmation, slightly grinning as she gave me that "I'm not over yet with this matter" look.

Maybe it was a matter of time, after all.