Claire Redfield x Male(!) reader

Part 1

Rain was everywhere. The dimly lit streets of raccoon city let off a low hissing sound, where water turned to puddle. Overturned cars littered the roads, with orange flame engulfing many stores and homes. Subtle hints of screaming could be heard, but most of that has died down now. Most screamers are dead. I stood on top of a high-rise building, watching the chaos below. Somehow, almost overnight, the city that I knew so well had become a hunting ground for the infected, praying on the weak and vulnerable. In my efforts to reach higher ground, I had to watch two of my friends die, made worse by the fact that the chopper we were trying to get to left us behind.

I stood, transfixed by what was below me, unable to comprehend what was going on. The little that remained of the small group I came up here with sat on boxes, or lay, looking up at the sky. It was cold, but I didn't mind. We were all exhausted. And had little hope. None of the 5 of us spoke. Nothing needed to be said. We all knew what was coming.

There was only one way off this roof, a door. The same door we came up here through, and the same door that was now locked shut. My friend John sat propped up against it, as if to help reinforce, but we all knew that would be pointless when they came. He had a Welsh flag sewn onto his jacket.

I moved to sit amongst them, thinking about small nothing's, wondering what death would feel like. Then one of my friends, Ezra, broke the air.
"Hey (y/n)?" He asked
I nodded in response
"You remember that time we had that party at my place, for new years that time?"
"Mhmm" I hummed carelessly
"That was fun" he said.
Clearly, he was trying to raise the mood. Even though I found it a little annoying I was glad he was here. Without him I would probably be dead by now.
"Yeah... Thinking I would kill to get back there, but not quite sure who yet." I joked.

For what felt like hours we sat, telling each other jokes, remembering what was, laughing at each other, or with. As time passed, the sound of infected gradually got louder and louder, their threat getting closer and closer, but it didn't bother me. After a while, My mind fell away. As they spoke, my thoughts drifted to that of Claire. I wondered where she was, if she was okay. I doubted she even knew what was going on here or cared. But still...

The thought of her made it easier to smile. Knowing she would never be a part of this hell even more so.

I was brought back to reality when John's hand waved in front of my face
"Hey, wake up, I'm talking to you." He laughed "(Y/n), you were in love once, right? Some girl from where you used to live? I never heard what happened with her... Clara something wasn't it?"
"Claire" I said flatly. "And nothing happened... she's just an old friend."
I got the feeling they wanted me to say more so say more I did. "I knew her at college. Even before that...." As I told the story my friends listened, and even though I knew it was just because there was nothing else to do, I was glad that they did.

Flashback:

"I... I'm sorry, I just don't feel the same way... I'd love to stay friends though, if you're still comfortable with that."
Innocent enough, and yet single-handedly the most devastatingly hurtful sentence I'd ever heard.
My heart felt like it was tearing itself apart, inside to out. But I refused to show any of it. I was stood, trying to hold back tears, In front of Claire Redfield. She was dressed in red, and looked unbearably beautiful. We both went to the same college, and had become extremely close friends over the years. We first met when she got hit trying to stop someone bullying me. I sat with her in the nurse's office, comforting her while we waited. The two of us became almost inseparable for a time after that, and as we grew older and went to college, I was quick to fall in love. The way she walked, the melody of her voice, her hair, her laughter when I told jokes, all hopelessly overwhelming my mind.

"Her smile..."

I paused briefly, holding back tears at the thought of her. I could try and lie about it, but I still loved her even now.
Another one of my friends, Jamie, rubbed my shoulder before saying "take your time."
I continued the story at that.

Holding a secret like that from her was near impossible. Every time I saw her, I fell harder, more in love with her, and every time I saw her, I found it harder to not let her know how I felt, How I longed for her. Walking home together from college one night after a long day, I had decided I couldn't bear it any longer. The low moonlight of the path we took lit up her face in such a way that killed me every time I looked at it. Her blue eyes glowed at me as I called her name, but took on a slight sad expression when I told her. I had thought our friendship more but... thought wrong.

"O- okay" I stammered
"Hey (y/n) I'm sorry I just... I'm happy with what we have now." She was trying to make eye contact, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. My insides were still screaming. "Yeah sure, I understand I... I should go." I turned to leave, tears starting to stream down my face. I ignored her pleas for me to stay, instead walking as fast as I could in the wrong direction. She didn't follow, and by the time I went back there on my way home, she was gone. Over the next few days, we grew distant, never really catching up again. And then, just like that, my dad was offered a job at raccoon city, and I moved away.

"...I'll likely never see Claire again now" I finished.
My friends were silent at that. And I hated it.
"Oh! And then I made the mistake of meeting you guys" I laughed. Seemingly that joke was all they needed. They all laughed with me. Still, one singular tear managed to find its way onto my face. Still, she stayed in my mind.

Our laughter came to a swift halt at the sound of a crash against the only door. Silently we all stood up, checking our rifles were loaded. Another crash. I motioned to John, and he moved away from the door. Another crash. We formed a line a little way away, facing forward, guns up. Another crash. I crouched to help aim, with my friends following in suit. Another crash. A chunk of that door fell away, revealing an infected behind. "That door isn't going to hold much longer" I warned. Another crash. I could see it starting to buckle at the hinges. The sound of growls was getting deafening.
"Sounds like that infected brought all his friends" Ezra shouted. I smirked a little. Even if we were going to die, it still felt cool, crouched there in that line. Like we could do anything. A final crash rang out, and the door collapsed.

We all shouted out, firing round after round into the crowd that ensued. They began to circle us, so we too made a circle. In that moment we were fighting as one. One mind, one body, and one unanimous goal. Survival.
In that moment we felt truly alive. And then our circle broke. One of my friends fell backwards, blood spilling out his throat. I wanted to scream but knew I couldn't. Not sure what to do I made for the door. despite the constant gunfire, the infected seemed to be endless. When I reached the door, I was immediately thrown back. My efforts to stand up were halted by an infected, who lunged forward at me, knocking the gun out of my hand, pressing me against the floor. Before it could bite me, John charged forwards, lashing out at it, saving my life. Standing up again I saw that He had been immediately overrun. I couldn't see anyone else but didn't have time to look. I grabbed my rifle off the floor and continued to unload it, stopping countless infected in their tracks, circling round as I did so. After a while however, the satisfying bang of my weapon changed to clicks. I was out of ammo, and out of luck. As the infected drew nearer and nearer I spat at the floor and lifted the butt of my rifle.
"If I'm gonna die it won't be without a fight you fucks!" I shouted. I heard a hiss. I was instantly blinded with red light, forcing me to turn away. When I dared look again, I saw Ezra, blood all over his face, stood at the edge of the roof. He had a flare in his hand that was drawing the attention of all the infected up here, and what looked like a deep gash in his neck. They were charging at him. I made eye contact with him. He looked back at me and smirked.

"That girl better be worth it!" he shouted.

Then he stepped back, taking the infected with him. I cried out, kneeling to the ground as he fell. Tears filled my face. My head started spinning. my vision blurred. There was still an infected with me, but I didn't care. As it got closer, I simply curled up, covering my eyes with my hands, waiting.