I Can Feel a Hot One

The hostage situation in Germany had been a total bust for the BSAA. Four days Chris, Piers and the rest of their team were held up in that airport. What was meant to be a clean, fast, get in and get out rescue, dragged out much longer than it should have.
Before they could finish the mission, it had caught the eye of the media, and the last thing the BSAA wanted or needed was media on their backs. It never ended well, and always just made the tension higher for everyone.

The rest of the team headed out to face the crowd of curious passers bys, and hungry men and women, eager to shove their microphone down your throat, and force out all you’ve gotta tell, while the two snuck out the back, just for a small breather. All they wanted was a moment to live in ignorance, towards the horror story that could be told by the stains, and stench on their uniforms.

Piers leaned against the cold concrete wall of the building, while pushing out a hard sigh, the cold air reacted with the exhale of breath, creating a visible mist. Chris’ watched the mist, with hunger in his eyes and clenched his jaw as it faded like a phantom. The way it resembled smoke got under his skin. Oh god, he would've given up anything just for a cigarette then, after all that happened those past few days.

“Captain?” Piers had some way of decoding his captain, he read the man like an open book, he could almost tell what the guy was thinking.

Chris nodded in response, rubbing at his forehead, trying to rid himself of the this sudden migraine. The other’s voice irritated him, he didn’t want to talk, he just wanted a smoke and a few beers to forget for awhile.

“Everything alright, Captain?” The younger man watched his leader closely, licking at his chapped lips nervously in the uneasy silence before his reply. Chris ‘ eye twitched in frustration, like the sound of his voice boomed in head, making the pain throb.

Piers’ gut knotted, examining the tension radiating off of his Captain’s body language. The silence only making himself frustrated, his concern for the other always came out that way.

“ Captain-”

“Besides all the bullshit that happened in there,” He spit at his companion and threw his arm in the direction of the building, but never left his harden, irritated gaze away from Piers. His sudden lash of rage caught him off guard, causing the brunette to bite down on his tongue and straighten up against the wall, surprised at the volume of his tone. Piers brow furrowed, he knew what was coming next. Another Redfield tantrum.

“I’m just fucking dandy, Piers.” The boy held his mouth, his gaze away from the other, his response was of silent passive aggression, and his obvious annoyance over Chris’ words just fueled the rage building in his gut. He looked disappointed, and he lashed out under the guilt, not to mention the extra from leading a shit operation.

Piers started the conversation , and now he’s ignoring him, and that didn’t settle with the man at all. It was the lie he told himself, allowing the anger at himself into Piers seem right.

“Too cowardly to respond, Nivans?” His voiced raised, moving in furiously towards the man, still, he stared off, his face furrowing even more, and his lip twitched, not allowing the Captain’s postering send him over. With the captain inches away from him, he could feel Chris’ rage in the heat of breath, against his his face. He simply turned his face father away, backing up more into the brick.

“You look like you have something to say.” he spoke softer, the anger still high in his tone. His eyes darted towards Chris, his face still turned. With every part of him, he held himself from hurling a fist straight to his jaw.

“Your constant insubordinate behavior is exactly what causes operations like this go to shit. “ Piers’ closed his eyes for moment, opening them slowly along with a quiet sigh. Yes, he did feel responsible for the chaos that unleashed in airport. But so did the rest of Alpha squad. Terrorist attacks were never an easy thing to deal with, and he knew the toll they took on Chris. His care for Chris made it hard to be mad at him, but it didn't make it hurt less.

Piers’ face tightened as it faced his Captain’s. The moment he finally met the other’s eyes, his own fell away.

“Understood Captain.” The loyal man stood tall, his body language saying he was unshaken from this sudden fit, like a soldier should always be when spoken to by his upper officers, despite their tone or anger, no matter how senseless it seemed. Piers’ voice said something completely different. It was short and felt forced, like he just wanted it to end, his pride was exhausted under the weight of the sting. He could hear their undertones. The hurt and anger that lined them, and the eyes that screamed it. He couldn't meet them.

The tone of Piers’ voice had switched something back on in the captain, he rubbed the arch of his nose, turned away from Nivans. Piers watched, almost numb. Just waiting for this moment to pass.

“ You're gonna get yourself killed acting like that, you know that right?” Chris caved, digging into his pocket for his pack.

“ Acting like what, sir?” He folded his arms, watching Chris closely as he lit his cigarette. The mood had shifted so quickly, it was far different from it, it left him unsure, cautious of it.

“ You're reckless, playing hero. It gets you killed. You have too many close calls. You did it in there and we almost lost you Nivans.” Chris exhaled smoke , looking up to watch it dissipate in the sky.

Piers scoffed, and closed some distance between them again, now under different circumstances. Less confrontational circumstances. Taking the lit cigarette from his Captain, whose face quickly fell into confusion, seeing Piers take a drag from it.

“ I learned from the best. “ he looked up at Chris, flashing him a smug look. He mirrored the other, blowing the smoke up, still keeping his gaze locked.

Grumpy mumbles came from the Captain, still annoyed and disapproving. But he was right, he saw the Chris from not far along ago. Piers as annoying and headstrong as he could be, Chris admired him the most out of the soldiers he's fought alongside.

He couldn't tell if it was just an upsetting reminder of what the years have taken from him, or a helping hand to bring out that part of him again.

“ it was wrong of me to say what I did.” The smugness left Piers expression. “ We-, I owe you for getting us out of there. Just , the thought of losing-” he trailed off, pausing for a moment. “You're a good soldier, a good man. We don’t need more good dead men.”

Piers was frozen, unsure how to respond to a raw compliment and sincere apology from him. You could hear the struggle in Chris’ voice, he despised this feeling of bareness. Just another sensation brought out by Piers. They both looked off from the other, equally flustered.

“ y-yes Captain.” Chris grinned passed his own embarrassment, hearing Nivan's stutter. It was oddly pleasing to hear, it was oddly satisfying to of caused it. He quickly stuffed that feeling away, feeling himself squirm under it. He cleared his throat, and lightly patted Piers shoulder.

“ We should, uh. Return to the rest of the men.” Piers nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

“ Probably best.”

Chris stepped out the cigarette and walked back, with Piers close behind him, unaware of the mad grin plastered to the younger man’s face.