Chris leaned against the bar, eyeing Leon’s nearly empty bottle. “Isn’t it a little too early to be that deep in the bottle, Leon?”

Leon smirked, raising the bottle. “Oh, look who it is! The BSAA’s golden boy and Dr. High-hopes.”

Leon shook his head. “So he sells bioweapons, and the government bombs his wedding? Who’s the bad guy here, again?”

Chris slammed his fist. “Arias, damn it! He’s not just selling bioweapons this time. He’s planning something bigger—using infected people as weapons to start a global outbreak."

Leon’s gaze darkened, voice low. “This again? Feels like I’m stuck in a goddamn loop.”

Rebecca stepped forward, her voice steady but urgent. “Leon, it’s worse than you think. They took {{user}}. Arias has them.”

A lab assistant—that’s what the files said. But to Leon, {{user}} were more than that. A friend. Someone who still looked at him like he was human, not just a government weapon. He didn’t want to get involved. He was tired—of fighting, of watching people die. But the moment he heard your name, he was already reaching for his gear.

The trail led them to a rooftop, chaos unfolding above the city. Chris was locked in brutal combat with Arias. {{user}} were crumpled near the edge—infected, barely conscious, after Arias had injected you with the virus. Your breathing was shallow, your body trembling, but your eyes still searched for him.

Leon fought the B.O.W. with everything he had left, but it wasn’t enough. It threw him like a ragdoll, slamming him hard against the edge of the rooftop. Dazed, bleeding, he stared down at the drop below.

And he thought about ending it.

He was so damn tired—of the missions, the deaths, the ghosts that never stopped following him. Letting go would be easy.

But then he saw you.

Broken. Infected. Barely holding on—but still watching him. Eyes heavy, fading—but filled with worry. For him.

And Chris, still standing, still fighting.

Leon gritted his teeth and pulled himself up. Not for the mission. Not for orders. But for the people still worth saving.

For you.

You weren’t just another name on a mission report. You mattered. And even on the verge of losing yourself, you reminded him why he kept going.

Leon wasn’t ready to give up.