#honestly thinking of the way jill would probably struggle with readjusting...

[galaxy-fleur]

That brief conflict between Jill and Chris in Death Island made me consider how their relationship has likely changed since she returned to the field and all the complex emotions that would follow. Jill deserves all the support in the world, honestly. Wrote out a small one-shot based on that!

1.4k words.

"-Is everything alright?"

Chris slowly came up behind Jill, his steps measured careful. He could see her hard gaze, laser-focused on the revolver she was busy with cleaning at the moment, her posture rigid, her mouth set tight. Her reasonings for this level of tidiness were utterly unknown to him, as he's seen her fiddling with that same revolver of hers numerous times already, each instance more illogical than the last. Reloading, cleaning checking, re-checking. At this point, it became obvious that the revolver was nothing more than a means for her to get her hands busy. He just didn't know why.

Time and time again, she would withdraw and isolate herself, and this was starting to become a pattern that concerned him. He was worried about her. When he didn't hear back from her, he let out a sigh and reached out to lightly touch her shoulder, making his presence known without making her turn to face him.

"Jill, you haven't said a single word to me since we got back. I'm worried."

"-Don't be." Her reply is brisk, curt. Chris sighed again.

So they were playing this game again, huh?

Ever since Jill finally returned to the field after her recovery, their relationship has been notably strained and even awkward, though neither of them ever pointed it out directly to each other, for one reason or another. Perhaps they just didn't want to acknowledge that something truly was amiss. It is only reasonable to want things to just return back to normal after all the hardships and adversity they've faced, after all. But things weren't normal. Far from it. And that hard fact was just becoming more and more apparent with time. Maybe in order to avoid upsetting him, Jill was constantly attempting to hide whatever was wrong with her. But he wouldn't be upset. And yet, she never seemed to realize that her partner would be more than delighted to hear out what was troubling her. He would never be bothered by her confiding in him.

Or maybe she just didn't want to confide in him in the first place for whatever reason. That thought stung.

In any case, Chris simply could not bear to leave her alone again like he did up until now. Instead of closing herself off and going out to tinker with her weaponry, she should have someone there to talk to about what was really on her mind. He wanted to be that person to her.

Fixing a revolver wouldn't fix whatever that was not set right in her head.

Pursing his lips, he lowered himself beside her on the bench, keeping a slight distance to avoid coming across as intrusive. Hopefully.

"...Is it about earlier or something else, at least?" He asked, taking on a softer, more hushed tone compared to his prior usual speaking voice.

Jill didn't reply, but her hands stopped their meticulous movements, the quiet sounds of the revolver coming to a stop. This lack of a response told him everything he needed to know. So it must have been about earlier after all, huh?

They did bump into some of his old colleagues as he was showing her around. From where he stood, everything went by just smoothly. When he introduced them to Jill, his guys were thrilled to meet someone with her level of experience, warmly welcoming her back on the field after a long absence. Sure, he might have gotten a tad bit distracted with all the reminiscing, but that was nothing to get this upset about, is it? Especially since Jill didn't get to get out much in the past few months. He thought getting to know their teammates would do her some good, in fact.

But could she have been bothered by him getting carried away with his peers instead? That didn't really sound like her at all, and it was hard for him to guess when she wouldn't communicate with him. At this point, he was just trying to come up with any explanation at all. He never once took her as the type to struggle with jealousy or feelings of inadequacy, but... She did clamp up on him right after they went separate ways. But it was a different sort of bond than the one he had with her. Surely she knew that.

Was she upset over him having other close friends, or was she upset over something deeper than that, something he couldn't quite grasp? It's not as if he needed her to be like them. She was Jill, his partner... and they were trusted colleagues and friends. It wasn't the same. Moreover, it felt sort of conceited of him to think that she was just jealous. No, there must have been something deeper going on here.

Chris' head was starting to hurt over him trying to read between the lines. He wasn't good at this sort of thing. Maybe that's partly why things were so tense lately. Sure, Jill didn't have to spell her guts to him over everything, but he would like to know that she wasn't shutting herself out because of him, at least. After all, keeping things bottled up inside never ended well. He knew that better than anyone. She would just end up exploding one day if she continued trying to shoulder everything on her own. He didn't want that for her.

"Jill? Come on, please talk to me. If you want me to leave you alone, that's fine, but just... Don't shut down on me like that. I don't like seeing you like this."

"...Wouldn't it be better for you to focus on those who were actually with you on the field?"

Chris blinked. Her voice didn't sound accusatory or angry, but it did sound bitter. A bitterness that was more self-inflicted than hostile. He didn't know which would be worse.

"What? No... Why would that matter?"

She huffed, shaking her head, visibly frustrated.

"No, just- Goddamnit, Chris, you're respected, you're loved. People look up to you for leadership. So many are willing to follow your lead, just because it's you that's leading them. You made a name for yourself. But you stick around me. I could have done the same. I could have been out there, fighting for what's right and doing something good with you and everyone else. But I didn't. While you were out there, I was stuck... what? Doing Wesker's bidding and then just as stuck recovering from that? And now... I can finally make up for all the years lost, and nothing feels the same."

Her shoulders slumped, her voice losing what previous ire it held. Now, she just sounded tired. Defeated.

"...Wesker's finally six feet under after all the pain and death he brought, and he still keeps taking things from me."

With a shaky exhale, he shook his head at that. What she was saying wasn't true at all. Not from where he stood, at least.

"-Jill, I wouldn't bat an eye if you were off the field for a decade for all I care. What matters is that you are here now, right this second. And sure, yes, I might have a reputation now. But that doesn't mean I stopped thinking of you as my partner. You are still more than capable of giving me a run for my money out there, trust me. You're one of the few who can. I don't know anyone as capable and strong as you are. The only thing I do regret is not being there for you much while you recovered. I wish I was. I want to be there for you. Even if I failed to do that before."

Jill sighed, her hands dropping to hang over her knees, her revolver finally completely out of her focus now. This was clearly chipping away at her, and for a long time. Sure, they had somewhat similar talks before, but... never quite as openly. It was hard to catch a quiet moment alone with how hectic their lives were, after all. Chris knew she was probably having a hard time readjusting, but he never imagined it was... this bad. He wished he could have noticed it sooner.

He rested a hand on her shoulder, fully this time, his thumb rubbing small circles into her shirt.

"...You don't need to compare yourself to me, okay? I don't always know what to say, or what's on your mind, but... the only one I always want to work alongside is you. You're the one I trust to have my back no matter what and be there when I need you. Just like I want to be there when you need me, too. So, even if I do have good buddies I worked with over the years you've been away, I want you right beside me now. If you want to be."

Quietly, one of her hands came to rest on his knee, squeezing a little. She didn't say a word to him as she did, her head still hung low, her hair obscuring her features from being seen. He didn't push her into looking at him. He just let her reach out in her own way, even if it was small.

"I'll... try to remember that. Thanks, Chris."

"Anytime."

[thefanficmonster]

I'm so happy you like the idea! Your first three words are: Rattle, Candlelight and Corset.

Oh this is gonna be interesting 🤭

Regretting

Pairing: Chris Redfield x Female OC (taken in by the Winters family as a daughter of theirs basically)

Warnings: Swearing (No Spoilers for any games don’t worry😊)

Genre: Romance, Fluff

Enjoy the mess my brain’s produced. Love, Vy ❤

“I have several questions surrounding this bullshit event!“ Gwen shouts from inside her room where she’s been getting ready for the past hour with the Captains of the BSAA keeping a watchful eye outside her door, making sure she doesn’t get any ideas of running away.

“I have as many as you do, trust me on that one.“ He replies, readjusting his tie. He hasn’t found himself in a three-piece-suit in a long time, all’s been soldier get-ups, bulletproof wests and combat boots. Truth be told, it’s not that he doesn’t want to dress nicely, he’s just rarely had any occasions worth dressing up for. Lord knows he’d be at home in this very moment, seated on the couch with a cold beer bottle in his hand. So to make the truth truer - he actively avoids places and events that would require him dressing up. It’s simply a hassle in and of itself, but dealing with the people at the even - that’s what he’s most bothered by.

“You cannot expect me to believe that’s the truth!“ Gwen shouts again, the sound of shuffling accompanying her voice. 

“Leon said it was important, Jill backed him up and you know I rarely get a say when the two of them partner up to support one another.“ Chris says, sighing while reaching for a cigarette before withdrawing his hand, remembering he didn’t take his pack with him on purpose. Claire says he needs to break the habit little by little so, in order to give her peace of mind, he does try whenever she’s looking. However, when she turns away, he’s quick to light a cig, almost as quick as a dying man getting connected to life support.

“You, Leon and I have very different definitions of the word ‘important’.“ She sasses back, her voice now being the only sound coming from the room which is a sign Chris cannot decide the meaning of - is she almost done? Is she starting over with everything? Either way, he doesn’t mind. Running late to the gala the mayor’s throwing is not particularly bothering him, he actually prefers it.

What’s been bothering him is the fact that he’s found himself impatient of something else. Impatient of seeing her - not that he’d ever admit it. Him and Gwen have been friends for quite some time. Well, they did get off on the wrong foot, but were quick to arrange a relationship alike a friendship and function without wanting to gauge each other’s eyes out. Somewhere along the lines they became actual friends without even noticing.

Gwen Winters had every right to be suspicious of Captain Chris Redfield. Not that she was always wary of him or anything - seeing as how him and her ‘parents’ are friends, she never thought twice about the guy. However, when she expressed interest in joining the BSAA and earned herself a scoff from him, she was rather pissed. Being the main chemistry project of an asshole with a saving-the-world complex back in Raccoon City, it’s safe to say she got some above average strength to her name. And that’s putting it mildly. Being rescued from that lab by Leon and getting taken in by the Winters family, she’s developed her own hero complex, the need to save those who can’t save themselves always dwelling within her.

And so, despite the amusement Chris showed when she brought up the idea, she became a BSAA soldier. 

“I think we established that on your very first mission, soldier.“ Chris chuckles, recalling that first mission he was so opposed to, mostly because Gwen was tagging along at her request and the allowance of Leon. He was very fucking afraid they’d have to carry her dead body out of there but the action was quick to turn the tables on him - having Gwen save his life more than once. What surprised him most though was her humbleness about it. She didn’t rub it in or nag him about having proved her point. She was just glad they had all made it out in one piece and that struck him with a whole new intensity. Almost like a wake up call.

The door beside him suddenly swings open, causing him to abruptly straighten up from his leaning position, shooting a look at the doorway from which emerges Gwen. Or at least he believes it’s her. Had he not known she was the only other person in the house at the moment, or had he seen her passing by on the street he wouldn’t have recognized her.

And he’d have every right not to: this must be the first time she has worn a dress since prom - if she even wore one then - and the same probably applies for the make-up she’s put on. It’s not much or anything, in fact the only reason he’s noticed it is because he’s so used to seeing her make-up-free face. So much so, he’d recognize even a drop of foundation if she applied it. And oh boy, is he whipped by the sight. He can lie all he wants and to whoever he wants to, but he cannot lie to himself. Especially not when his jaw has fallen to the floor, his eyes have grown wide and his heartbeat has picked up noticeably.

If Ethan could hear at least half of what Chris is thinking at the moment, he’d be as good as banned from the Winters home forever.

When Gwen’s eyes meet her Captain’s, she can’t help but smirk, “What is it, Cap? I exchange the bulletproof vest for a corset and you suddenly don’t recognize me?” She asks, raising a teasing eyebrow.

He knows it’s wrong, for so many reasons: He’s her captain, she’s his soldier; She’s an adult but he’s still significantly older than her; She’s the ‘daughter’ of a friend of his, to make matters even worse - It’s so wrong yet he can’t get the thought out of his head. It’s not just now, it’s something he’s been struggling with for quite some time. He’s constantly haunted by her: the sound of her laughter, her smile, that focused frown that appears every time she is looking at a map or a new case, analyzing its every detail, the twinkle in her eyes whenever she gets told she’ll be going on a mission and that same sparkle growing brighter when she returns from it having successfully completed it.

It’s all overwhelming, and in the nicest, wrongest way possible.

“Honestly, Winters, seeing such a shift does rattle a person. Especially when I haven’t seen you out of a soldier’s uniform for years now.“ He comments, his eyes traveling up and down her body on their own accord, despite his best attempts at keeping his gaze on her face.

She laughs, “Can’t really go to training in a dress and high heels, you know. If I had more opportunities, the dresses in my closet wouldn’t be covered in spiderwebs.“

“Duly noted.“ He smirks, offering the young lady his hand as he leads her down the stairs, “I could help you out with that.“

She frowns, pausing mid-step, “Oh no, no, no no. If what you have in mind is a bunch of charity events, you better get that thought out of your head. A bunch of rich assholes drinking champagne, really not my scene.”

Chris chuckles offering her his arm as they walk out the front door to where he parked his car upon arriving at the Winters home, running into Ethan, Mia and their five year old daughter, about to head out for the night. He won’t complain about the lecturing he received, he deserved it after all. It’s a miracle the two even agreed to let Gwen accompany him, not that they could stop her either way seeing as how she’s an adult woman who’s more than capable of making her own decisions.

“No, no, I know you hate those events. I do too.“ He says, oddly timidly as the two get seated in the car. “I was thinking more along the lines of...“ He contemplates how to say it without making the rest of this night awkward, or mess things up with Gwen in any way. She means a lot to him and he’d hate to lose her over his complicated feelings he wishes he could control. “Dinner under candlelight, maybe?“

He’s as stiff as a boulder, tense and expecting something, anything. Literally anything, even outright rejection would be better than silence. Regardless of her answer, he’s gonna regret this move later when Ethan hears about it and goes to kick his ass.

Out of the corner of his eye, he catches the slight shake of her head, a blush evidently appearing on her cheeks, visible even in the dim light in the car. A small smile graces he features as her hand travels to his which is nervously resting on the gear shift. “Sure, I’d like that.” She says, her smile growing wider.

There’s that same twinkle - the sparkle in the eyes of a soldier willing to fight for the greater good, putting everyone above herself. And, on his hierarchy, she’s number one.

“I’m glad.“

Chris Redfield has regretted many things in his life and will probably regret even more in the future. However, he was a fool to think he’d regret this decision - one look at Gwen’s eyes and all regret was erased. All ass-kicking he might receive for it seems more than worth it, looking at it from the perspective of this very moment.

Then again, Captain Chris Redfield has never been a stranger to a little ass-kicking.

Thank you so much, Anon for this super fun challenge! I hope to receive more three words to turn into fics cause I really enjoyed this experience 🥰