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Description
A liitle fragment of my fanfiction "Berlin Wall", considering that it has 10K words, this is a very tiny fragment
I'm very worried about the grammar rules, because in spanish my writing is perfect, but in english I know it must have mistakes. That's why I apologize in advance; but despite of that I invite you to know how Leon and Noiholt met each other the first time.
Depending on the reception, I will translate more of this first chapter.
Hope you like it!

UPDATE: For those who couldn't read it because DA didn't show you the text file, here it is:

Fragment of “Berlin Wall”

Leon met Noiholt in a Factory, while he was trying to rescue survivors in the city of Grüneger, Austria, in the year 2000.

…

BAM!

“Shit!” Leon exclaimed. Those were gunshots... where?

A new impact reverberated around the perimeter. Leon began trotting toward the reverb, eager to rescue who needed his help. Unless the fucking zombies have learned to use a gun. In that case...

BAM!

Now the firing of a gun made him jump. What, that person had there an arsenal of weapons? Well, congratulations: he could recharge. Hopefully that person wouldn’t spend all his bullets shooting around like a fool.

He was sure he could find the place where the attacks originated. With a very stealthy step, Leon came to the door of an office that looked wide. He pushed the semi open doorway and heard almost immediately the characteristic crawl of a viscous body on the wooden floor. Then the ringing stopped so he sensed that it was "dead". And felt the breathing, almost on the verge of collapse, which seemed to come from a woman.

Leon swallowed, wielding his weapon with more force and preparing an appropriate strategy to rescue the innocent, without dying in the attempt.

“Verfickte zombies!” Exclaimed the person. Confirmed: it’s a woman, and she had a sweet little voice that contrasted with the fierceness of his cry.

“I’m not a zombie!” Leon murmured, approaching very soft and slowly into the large office. He was praying that the women could know a little of English.

Quiet. Her breathing was still agitated, and the agent feared that he would not have understood. Without approaching, he decided it was time to test what he learned in that dictionary.

“Ich bin ein agent!” He spoke as firmly as he could, trying to give some confidence to the person.

“Your accent is terrible, American” she murmured in English. Her trembling tone of voice inspired him chills.

“I'm an agent of the US government” Leon explained, pleased not to have to keep talking in German. “But before we can sit down and talk, I need to kill this infection is lying there.” He began to walk toward the body and pointed it with the tip of his boot. “The only way to kill them is definitely destroying her head. If you don’t, it could rise again and that would be quite problematic. Can I…?

Without waiting for an answer, Leon bent his right knee and brutally crushed the skull zombie, destroying it immediately. An explosion of rotting, stinking flesh brains scattered on the floor, but at least the danger posed by that body had been removed. Leon looked at the woman; still couldn’t see the face of his interlocutor. But surely, she saw him. A small gas lamp was lighting the place with a little success, and the scene looked even more macabre.

“I wanna help you” he said, looking toward the back of the room. “My name is Leon Kennedy. I was sent here to search for survivors. This area is the penultimate that I need to check.” He dulcified his tone slightly. “I'm not gonna hurt you, so please low down your weapon.”

“How do you know that I'm pointing you?” She questioned him, with a sweet German accent which Leon hadn’t noticed yet... and it sounded very nice.

“In your situation I would. To everything.”

The sincerity in his response seemed to please the woman. She hung his gun on her back and walked straight to the agent. After a few steps, the light finally reached her face and further illuminated her body.

Leon stared at Noiholt for a few seconds, before noticing that he was looking at her blatantly. She was a small girl with trained body, blonde and very white, with delicate blue eyes that reminded a clear sky. Her hair reached her shoulders, with a strand dyed black from the forehead to the ear. When Noiholt came in front of him, he noticed that she was also very short and barely reached his chest… like a porcelain doll. How young should she be!

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kennedy” said the girl, holding out her hand. “My name is Noiholt Maüser. I do not belong to anywhere and do not represent anyone. I am my only reason to fight.”

“Interesting. Call me Leon” he asked, accepting the greeting. Noiholt’s hand seemed very small and soft, getting him wonder how she managed to survive. “Your name, eh…?

“Noiholt. Just as it sounds.”

“I'm sorry, I had never heard something similar. ¿Noiholt?” He pronounced hesitantly.

“The ‘o’ and ‘aitch’ sound tougher in German, but it sounded sweet anyway, sir.” She smiled briefly.

“Thanks” also smiled. “And you ...? How come you speak such good English?”

“I am interpreter.”

“Ah.”

She gave him a second fleeting smile, yet not granted any expression on his face. Leon frowned, realizing that Noiholt’s eyes were like ice. Unwittingly, he continued racing her through his eyes. She was dressed in a tight black shirt and breeches of the same color; safety boots, a thick belt and special cartridge to store weapons and ammunition finished decorating the body of the doll. He swallowed.

“Have I passed your assessment, sir?” She asked in a slightly mocking tone.

“Well, I was just wondering how someone with so charming appearance had managed to stay alive” he admitted, looking away.

“Charming…!” She repeated, nodding sideways.

“You got some kind of training?” He watched intently her shapely legs.

“A little bit. I’ve been practicing Muay Thai and Silat for a while.” Noiholt blushed and looked back, hiding her eyes.

“I Understand. And how long have you been here?”

“A few days. I tried to escape and failed.” She shrugged. “They have surrounded the place. We are all potential zombie projects. I wanted to show them that they have not bitten me, but threatened to shoot me if I tried to escape by force. I would have stripped all my clothes to prove them that I was right.”

“For sure.”

“Actually… do you want me to show you?” She began to lift her shirt, exposing her torso and the pretty bra she wore.

“What?” He spat upon seeing what that girl was doing. “No! Enough” Leon stopped her, holding her wrists with his hands. “I've seen enough” he gasped.

“Ok.” She arranged her clothes, blinking surprised. “You're not very professional, Mr. Kennedy. If I transformed at this time, it would very easy to bite your neck.

“Believe me, I know well the stages of the virus. No need to prove anything.” He briefly patted her arm, reassuring.

Noiholt realized that the young officer looked strong and sincere. She nodded in approval.

“You're soaked” remarked, touching Leon’s jacket. “In the upstairs I have an office that I have adapted to survive while waiting for the rain to stop. Let's go. Thou you check and when you consider safe, close and you take your clothes for me to dry with the heater. You can even take a shower. Let’s go” she requested.

“Okay…” Leon felt overwhelmed by the security in Noiholt’s voice. But a shower and dry clothes was an offer too tempting to dismiss it.

She grabbed him by the arm and led him into the hall, dodging industrial machinery that occupied every corner. They climbed the stairs in silence and arrived in front of a huge wooden doors.

“You know how to shoot?” He asked before making any moves.

“A little more than just knowing” she admitted. “My father was a military man and taught me a lot.”

“That's very convenient” he frowned. “Take your gun and stay behind me. I'll protect you.”

Noiholt looked at him open-mouthed. ¿Protect her… Really? She didn’t need him. She had never needed anyone. But she nodded slowly because it was not time to have useless talks. She stood behind Leon and held the gun as he slowly opened the door. He came in suddenly, pointing everywhere and taking quick glances at each corner where typical zombies used to give surprises. Noiholt was stepping on his heels and that, rather than hinder him, gave him a sense of security. Something very strange.

But the office was really enabled to live in it. Leon lowered his weapon, convinced that it was very unlikely to find any infected there. It was a large place, with all the furniture turned to the walls and in the middle, a mattress. Beyond a gas stove, and beside many cans of canned food. Leon wondered when she robbed a supermarket to get all that.

He turned back to her, completely surprised. What kind of survivor cares about such things? For sure his father did more than just teach her to shoot.

“That's the only window, and very small for any person” the girl hissed.

“All Right. What's behind that door?” He pointed with his chin.

“The Bathroom.”

“I'll review it. You, block the entrance.”

“Yes, sir.”

Leon walked quietly towards his goal while Noiholt was hauling furniture to close the huge gate. She was startled when she heard the kick with the agent went into the bathroom. After a few seconds, Leon reappeared with calm expression.

“All clean” he raised his thumb.

“Should I finish blocking, then?

He emphasized the gesture of his hand, moving it lightly. Noiholt gave him a quick smile and headed a corner to drag a huge wooden desk. Leon reached out and helped lift the other end, placing it at the gate so that not a horde of zombies get rid barrier.

“We’re ready” Noiholt seemed very pleased with her work. Then, she looked at Leon. “The bathroom has hot water. You know why they haven’t suspend the service?”

“Yes, it's for me. I asked them to maintain basic services while I rescue survivors.”

“Great! Give me your clothes and I’ll dry them in the heater” she said.

“Can I at least get naked in the bathroom?” Leon joked with some sarcasm, but without malice.

“Don’t be late.” She suppressed a smile hiding her face down toward the shoulder. “We still have to eat and sleep” added.

“Women…” Growled a little amused. “Why do I always get the bossy ones?”

Leon went to the bathroom and before closing the door, Noiholt threw him a blanket.

When she was alone, she began to dig in canned food, looking for the most appropriate to replenish energy. She found some sausages with high levels of protein and carbohydrates; recalled some lessons that his father gave her and knew that these jars were the best they could use. She took a knife and began to open them. Then in a metal bowl poured them and started heating in fire stove. It was a fortune that there was a kitchenware shop in front of the factory, there she get many implements.

When food had good texture and was piping hot, Leon emerged from the bathroom. He appeared behind a pile of warm steam; no doubt it was the best shower of his life. At least the one he most enjoyed. Wrapped in the blanket Noiholt gave him, walked toward her and watched curiously the food.

“Where are your clothes?” Asked the girl.

“True. I'd forgotten. I'll get them.”

“No, stay and don’t get cold. I’ll bring them.” She cast his steps to the bathroom.

“Wait!” He tried to stop her, but it was too late.

Noiholt turned quickly and put a chair in front of the heater, fitting Leon’s clothes in a way that would dry up soon.

The agent's face was covered with one hand when he saw his shorts in the hands of this little blonde.

“You know ...? I could have done that perfectly” observed, embarrassed yet.

“Of course, but also holding the blanket to not stay naked. How would you have been able to do both?” She turned toward him. “Shall we eat?”

As a reaction, Leon crossed his hands over his chest.

“First of all, please answer me a question.” Leon saw her with serious eyes.

“OK.” She concealed her surprise.

“Why do you have all of this?” He took a few steps absently, following with his eyes the stove, food and heater. “You're like ... the perfect survivor.”

Noiholt flushed with those words. She swallowed before answering.

“This factory was owned by my mother. Here she kept many things. I made use of them while I wait for this temporal to stop. Is it bad?

“No, no… don’t get me wrong” he pressed his mouth “but none of the people I rescued in my life had worried about such things. It caught my attention… that's all.”

She frowned with those words, then dropped off the food and gestured with her hand for Leon to do the same. When he was right at her side, she took a metal bowl and began to serve.

“You’re making a big mistake, Mr. Kennedy. I am not one of your damsels in distress” she was shaking her head while talking. “Keep this in mind: you are not rescuing me.”

Leon opened his mouth to protest, but Noiholt interrupted reaching out a hand and giving him a bowl full of food, with a metal spoon. Her large and expressionless eyes invited him to eat without further discussion. Well, given that there was no point in retort, the young agent sipped food. And it tasted good, despite of being canned! Strange things of life.

He looked at Noiholt again. She was eating with a lot of hunger, and that made him want to know more.

“You're very young” he affirmed, thinking about how to ask her age without seeming rude.

“You too, and you are also a government agent” she answered without stopping eating.

“True. I’m twenty-three.” He raised his eyebrows. “You know? I was a cop before becoming an agent.

Noiholt moved away a few inches, for appreciate him better.

“You don’t look like a cop” she scoffed. “Too cute for that. A model of Calvin Klein, perhaps” and she looked down.

Leon blinked a few times, thinking he might blush for the first time in his life.

“I was it only for a day. Not a model” he clarified, “member of the RPD, Raccoon Police Department. Maybe that's it.” He sighed.” What about you?

“Me, what?”

“Tell me about you. We’ll spend some time together so I'd like to know who accompanies me. Say, how old are you?

“I turned twenty a couple of weeks ago.”

“I see.” He remembered the information that the Austrian government gave to him, and considering the amount of mistakes they had made (probably on purpose), he decided it was best to get information from a survivor. “I need you to tell me what you've seen in this whole situation. I don’t trust the story they gave me when I arrived.

“And you would trust my version?” She blinked, skeptical.

“You are directly affected with this crap” he clarified.

“Mr. Kennedy...” she muttered wearily his name “you should be careful with that attitude. Maybe one day someone will fool you for being so open.

Leon clenched his jaw, remembering that he already had that bad experience. But he refused to think more or would end up in a fetal position wondering "why" as many nights after escaping that damned city.

“I do not know how all this happened” Noiholt spoke, taking the agent by surprise. “I use to travel a lot and when I got here, everything was very strange. My mother and I went out to buy food; and returning a guy went crazy... out of nowhere!” She tossed the empty bowl down without hiding the anger that caused her to talk about it. Then she grabbed her head with both and stopped talking, breathing heavily.

Leon scowled while an idea crossed his mind, after seeing the way that Noiholt expressed. Before, she spoke about her mother in past and he thought she wasn’t here. But if they were together these days...

“Where is your mom?” He asked in a whisper, fearing the coming answer.

The little blond girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath before answering.

“She isn’t here anymore. I…” She hesitated, swallowing hard “I had to...”

“No” interrupted inadvertently, scared of a truth actually worse than he imagined.

“I did it for her.” She shrugged. “Indeed, it was her best option.”

Noiholt raised her knees and hugged herself under the watchful eye of Leon, who analyzed every gesture. Those light blue eyes, cold as ice, contrasted with the slight trembling of her chin and chest.

“Do you remember I told you about that guy who went mad?” Leon nodded. “Well, I kicked him in the face. He fell to the ground and bit mom's ankle. We returned home; I was shocked and she was terrified, of course. Shortly after she started acting strangely. When I saw that I was being attacked I tried to avoid her. She pushed me into the street and I defended myself without hurting her, but... it wasn’t her, right?” She gave the agent an imploring look. “It wasn’t her. That’s why I did it.”

Leon didn’t know what to say after that story. He left the metal bowl to the side and bit his lips nervously.

“Nobody should go through an experience like that.” He said after a short pause. “I'm so sorry. I don’t know how you can keep it up.”

“I'm totally screwed up inside… seriously.” She fixed her light color eyes on the blue ones of him. “Call it a survival condition. I’m deflecting reality, avoiding what I've done just to survive. I cannot mourn...” she ducked her head “if I do that, I’ll fall into pieces. And I can’t, I have to leave here and live, because it's what Mom would have wanted.

Noiholt's voice broke in that last sentence, forcing her to cough to making it not too obvious. But Leon could already understand how the girl felt and, extending his right arm, he grabbed her shoulder and squeezed it, giving her some slight consolation, showing he was there for her. She looked back at him and smiled; a gesture that was strange because her eyes weren’t happy. He realized that no smile was glad in her face the whole time they had shared. But the gesture was there, and Leon narrowed his eyes. Then, he felt it.

She was beautiful. Very different from the type of woman he used to like, but that porcelain doll began to stir something very, very hidden within his soul. The fact that she wore that inferno inside made him feel empathy, and when he met her, he realized that she had aroused his protective instinct, that one he believed dead after everything that happened in Raccoon City. He swallowed, without stop watching her. It was like as if her light blue eyes shined ice, without showing any emotion, but her words made perfect counterpoint. He felt as if he could see her for much longer, tempted to discover what she hidden.

Until she broke eye contact, unable to be scanned longer under the iron armor that protected her soul from falling apart.

“You want to eat more?” She asked slowly, moving awkwardly.

“Yes, please.” He raised his bowl and give it to her, brushing her hand unintentionally.

Noiholt parted her lips while a slight blush covered her cheeks. Leon stared at her but she seemed to recover very fast, because she filled the wells and handed one to him without looking.
.
.
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PD: Special thanks to my dear that made such a great comic inspired on this fragment.
Here it is:

Description
A liitle fragment of my fanfiction "Berlin Wall", considering that it has 10K words, this is a very tiny fragment
I'm very worried about the grammar rules, because in spanish my writing is perfect, but in english I know it must have mistakes. That's why I apologize in advance; but despite of that I invite you to know how Leon and Noiholt met each other the first time.
Depending on the reception, I will translate more of this first chapter.
Hope you like it!

UPDATE: For those who couldn't read it because DA didn't show you the text file, here it is:

Fragment of “Berlin Wall”

Leon met Noiholt in a Factory, while he was trying to rescue survivors in the city of Grüneger, Austria, in the year 2000.

…

BAM!

“Shit!” Leon exclaimed. Those were gunshots... where?

A new impact reverberated around the perimeter. Leon began trotting toward the reverb, eager to rescue who needed his help. Unless the fucking zombies have learned to use a gun. In that case...

BAM!

Now the firing of a gun made him jump. What, that person had there an arsenal of weapons? Well, congratulations: he could recharge. Hopefully that person wouldn’t spend all his bullets shooting around like a fool.

He was sure he could find the place where the attacks originated. With a very stealthy step, Leon came to the door of an office that looked wide. He pushed the semi open doorway and heard almost immediately the characteristic crawl of a viscous body on the wooden floor. Then the ringing stopped so he sensed that it was "dead". And felt the breathing, almost on the verge of collapse, which seemed to come from a woman.

Leon swallowed, wielding his weapon with more force and preparing an appropriate strategy to rescue the innocent, without dying in the attempt.

“Verfickte zombies!” Exclaimed the person. Confirmed: it’s a woman, and she had a sweet little voice that contrasted with the fierceness of his cry.

“I’m not a zombie!” Leon murmured, approaching very soft and slowly into the large office. He was praying that the women could know a little of English.

Quiet. Her breathing was still agitated, and the agent feared that he would not have understood. Without approaching, he decided it was time to test what he learned in that dictionary.

“Ich bin ein agent!” He spoke as firmly as he could, trying to give some confidence to the person.

“Your accent is terrible, American” she murmured in English. Her trembling tone of voice inspired him chills.

“I'm an agent of the US government” Leon explained, pleased not to have to keep talking in German. “But before we can sit down and talk, I need to kill this infection is lying there.” He began to walk toward the body and pointed it with the tip of his boot. “The only way to kill them is definitely destroying her head. If you don’t, it could rise again and that would be quite problematic. Can I…?

Without waiting for an answer, Leon bent his right knee and brutally crushed the skull zombie, destroying it immediately. An explosion of rotting, stinking flesh brains scattered on the floor, but at least the danger posed by that body had been removed. Leon looked at the woman; still couldn’t see the face of his interlocutor. But surely, she saw him. A small gas lamp was lighting the place with a little success, and the scene looked even more macabre.

“I wanna help you” he said, looking toward the back of the room. “My name is Leon Kennedy. I was sent here to search for survivors. This area is the penultimate that I need to check.” He dulcified his tone slightly. “I'm not gonna hurt you, so please low down your weapon.”

“How do you know that I'm pointing you?” She questioned him, with a sweet German accent which Leon hadn’t noticed yet... and it sounded very nice.

“In your situation I would. To everything.”

The sincerity in his response seemed to please the woman. She hung his gun on her back and walked straight to the agent. After a few steps, the light finally reached her face and further illuminated her body.

Leon stared at Noiholt for a few seconds, before noticing that he was looking at her blatantly. She was a small girl with trained body, blonde and very white, with delicate blue eyes that reminded a clear sky. Her hair reached her shoulders, with a strand dyed black from the forehead to the ear. When Noiholt came in front of him, he noticed that she was also very short and barely reached his chest… like a porcelain doll. How young should she be!

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kennedy” said the girl, holding out her hand. “My name is Noiholt Maüser. I do not belong to anywhere and do not represent anyone. I am my only reason to fight.”

“Interesting. Call me Leon” he asked, accepting the greeting. Noiholt’s hand seemed very small and soft, getting him wonder how she managed to survive. “Your name, eh…?

“Noiholt. Just as it sounds.”

“I'm sorry, I had never heard something similar. ¿Noiholt?” He pronounced hesitantly.

“The ‘o’ and ‘aitch’ sound tougher in German, but it sounded sweet anyway, sir.” She smiled briefly.

“Thanks” also smiled. “And you ...? How come you speak such good English?”

“I am interpreter.”

“Ah.”

She gave him a second fleeting smile, yet not granted any expression on his face. Leon frowned, realizing that Noiholt’s eyes were like ice. Unwittingly, he continued racing her through his eyes. She was dressed in a tight black shirt and breeches of the same color; safety boots, a thick belt and special cartridge to store weapons and ammunition finished decorating the body of the doll. He swallowed.

“Have I passed your assessment, sir?” She asked in a slightly mocking tone.

“Well, I was just wondering how someone with so charming appearance had managed to stay alive” he admitted, looking away.

“Charming…!” She repeated, nodding sideways.

“You got some kind of training?” He watched intently her shapely legs.

“A little bit. I’ve been practicing Muay Thai and Silat for a while.” Noiholt blushed and looked back, hiding her eyes.

“I Understand. And how long have you been here?”

“A few days. I tried to escape and failed.” She shrugged. “They have surrounded the place. We are all potential zombie projects. I wanted to show them that they have not bitten me, but threatened to shoot me if I tried to escape by force. I would have stripped all my clothes to prove them that I was right.”

“For sure.”

“Actually… do you want me to show you?” She began to lift her shirt, exposing her torso and the pretty bra she wore.

“What?” He spat upon seeing what that girl was doing. “No! Enough” Leon stopped her, holding her wrists with his hands. “I've seen enough” he gasped.

“Ok.” She arranged her clothes, blinking surprised. “You're not very professional, Mr. Kennedy. If I transformed at this time, it would very easy to bite your neck.

“Believe me, I know well the stages of the virus. No need to prove anything.” He briefly patted her arm, reassuring.

Noiholt realized that the young officer looked strong and sincere. She nodded in approval.

“You're soaked” remarked, touching Leon’s jacket. “In the upstairs I have an office that I have adapted to survive while waiting for the rain to stop. Let's go. Thou you check and when you consider safe, close and you take your clothes for me to dry with the heater. You can even take a shower. Let’s go” she requested.

“Okay…” Leon felt overwhelmed by the security in Noiholt’s voice. But a shower and dry clothes was an offer too tempting to dismiss it.

She grabbed him by the arm and led him into the hall, dodging industrial machinery that occupied every corner. They climbed the stairs in silence and arrived in front of a huge wooden doors.

“You know how to shoot?” He asked before making any moves.

“A little more than just knowing” she admitted. “My father was a military man and taught me a lot.”

“That's very convenient” he frowned. “Take your gun and stay behind me. I'll protect you.”

Noiholt looked at him open-mouthed. ¿Protect her… Really? She didn’t need him. She had never needed anyone. But she nodded slowly because it was not time to have useless talks. She stood behind Leon and held the gun as he slowly opened the door. He came in suddenly, pointing everywhere and taking quick glances at each corner where typical zombies used to give surprises. Noiholt was stepping on his heels and that, rather than hinder him, gave him a sense of security. Something very strange.

But the office was really enabled to live in it. Leon lowered his weapon, convinced that it was very unlikely to find any infected there. It was a large place, with all the furniture turned to the walls and in the middle, a mattress. Beyond a gas stove, and beside many cans of canned food. Leon wondered when she robbed a supermarket to get all that.

He turned back to her, completely surprised. What kind of survivor cares about such things? For sure his father did more than just teach her to shoot.

“That's the only window, and very small for any person” the girl hissed.

“All Right. What's behind that door?” He pointed with his chin.

“The Bathroom.”

“I'll review it. You, block the entrance.”

“Yes, sir.”

Leon walked quietly towards his goal while Noiholt was hauling furniture to close the huge gate. She was startled when she heard the kick with the agent went into the bathroom. After a few seconds, Leon reappeared with calm expression.

“All clean” he raised his thumb.

“Should I finish blocking, then?

He emphasized the gesture of his hand, moving it lightly. Noiholt gave him a quick smile and headed a corner to drag a huge wooden desk. Leon reached out and helped lift the other end, placing it at the gate so that not a horde of zombies get rid barrier.

“We’re ready” Noiholt seemed very pleased with her work. Then, she looked at Leon. “The bathroom has hot water. You know why they haven’t suspend the service?”

“Yes, it's for me. I asked them to maintain basic services while I rescue survivors.”

“Great! Give me your clothes and I’ll dry them in the heater” she said.

“Can I at least get naked in the bathroom?” Leon joked with some sarcasm, but without malice.

“Don’t be late.” She suppressed a smile hiding her face down toward the shoulder. “We still have to eat and sleep” added.

“Women…” Growled a little amused. “Why do I always get the bossy ones?”

Leon went to the bathroom and before closing the door, Noiholt threw him a blanket.

When she was alone, she began to dig in canned food, looking for the most appropriate to replenish energy. She found some sausages with high levels of protein and carbohydrates; recalled some lessons that his father gave her and knew that these jars were the best they could use. She took a knife and began to open them. Then in a metal bowl poured them and started heating in fire stove. It was a fortune that there was a kitchenware shop in front of the factory, there she get many implements.

When food had good texture and was piping hot, Leon emerged from the bathroom. He appeared behind a pile of warm steam; no doubt it was the best shower of his life. At least the one he most enjoyed. Wrapped in the blanket Noiholt gave him, walked toward her and watched curiously the food.

“Where are your clothes?” Asked the girl.

“True. I'd forgotten. I'll get them.”

“No, stay and don’t get cold. I’ll bring them.” She cast his steps to the bathroom.

“Wait!” He tried to stop her, but it was too late.

Noiholt turned quickly and put a chair in front of the heater, fitting Leon’s clothes in a way that would dry up soon.

The agent's face was covered with one hand when he saw his shorts in the hands of this little blonde.

“You know ...? I could have done that perfectly” observed, embarrassed yet.

“Of course, but also holding the blanket to not stay naked. How would you have been able to do both?” She turned toward him. “Shall we eat?”

As a reaction, Leon crossed his hands over his chest.

“First of all, please answer me a question.” Leon saw her with serious eyes.

“OK.” She concealed her surprise.

“Why do you have all of this?” He took a few steps absently, following with his eyes the stove, food and heater. “You're like ... the perfect survivor.”

Noiholt flushed with those words. She swallowed before answering.

“This factory was owned by my mother. Here she kept many things. I made use of them while I wait for this temporal to stop. Is it bad?

“No, no… don’t get me wrong” he pressed his mouth “but none of the people I rescued in my life had worried about such things. It caught my attention… that's all.”

She frowned with those words, then dropped off the food and gestured with her hand for Leon to do the same. When he was right at her side, she took a metal bowl and began to serve.

“You’re making a big mistake, Mr. Kennedy. I am not one of your damsels in distress” she was shaking her head while talking. “Keep this in mind: you are not rescuing me.”

Leon opened his mouth to protest, but Noiholt interrupted reaching out a hand and giving him a bowl full of food, with a metal spoon. Her large and expressionless eyes invited him to eat without further discussion. Well, given that there was no point in retort, the young agent sipped food. And it tasted good, despite of being canned! Strange things of life.

He looked at Noiholt again. She was eating with a lot of hunger, and that made him want to know more.

“You're very young” he affirmed, thinking about how to ask her age without seeming rude.

“You too, and you are also a government agent” she answered without stopping eating.

“True. I’m twenty-three.” He raised his eyebrows. “You know? I was a cop before becoming an agent.

Noiholt moved away a few inches, for appreciate him better.

“You don’t look like a cop” she scoffed. “Too cute for that. A model of Calvin Klein, perhaps” and she looked down.

Leon blinked a few times, thinking he might blush for the first time in his life.

“I was it only for a day. Not a model” he clarified, “member of the RPD, Raccoon Police Department. Maybe that's it.” He sighed.” What about you?

“Me, what?”

“Tell me about you. We’ll spend some time together so I'd like to know who accompanies me. Say, how old are you?

“I turned twenty a couple of weeks ago.”

“I see.” He remembered the information that the Austrian government gave to him, and considering the amount of mistakes they had made (probably on purpose), he decided it was best to get information from a survivor. “I need you to tell me what you've seen in this whole situation. I don’t trust the story they gave me when I arrived.

“And you would trust my version?” She blinked, skeptical.

“You are directly affected with this crap” he clarified.

“Mr. Kennedy...” she muttered wearily his name “you should be careful with that attitude. Maybe one day someone will fool you for being so open.

Leon clenched his jaw, remembering that he already had that bad experience. But he refused to think more or would end up in a fetal position wondering "why" as many nights after escaping that damned city.

“I do not know how all this happened” Noiholt spoke, taking the agent by surprise. “I use to travel a lot and when I got here, everything was very strange. My mother and I went out to buy food; and returning a guy went crazy... out of nowhere!” She tossed the empty bowl down without hiding the anger that caused her to talk about it. Then she grabbed her head with both and stopped talking, breathing heavily.

Leon scowled while an idea crossed his mind, after seeing the way that Noiholt expressed. Before, she spoke about her mother in past and he thought she wasn’t here. But if they were together these days...

“Where is your mom?” He asked in a whisper, fearing the coming answer.

The little blond girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath before answering.

“She isn’t here anymore. I…” She hesitated, swallowing hard “I had to...”

“No” interrupted inadvertently, scared of a truth actually worse than he imagined.

“I did it for her.” She shrugged. “Indeed, it was her best option.”

Noiholt raised her knees and hugged herself under the watchful eye of Leon, who analyzed every gesture. Those light blue eyes, cold as ice, contrasted with the slight trembling of her chin and chest.

“Do you remember I told you about that guy who went mad?” Leon nodded. “Well, I kicked him in the face. He fell to the ground and bit mom's ankle. We returned home; I was shocked and she was terrified, of course. Shortly after she started acting strangely. When I saw that I was being attacked I tried to avoid her. She pushed me into the street and I defended myself without hurting her, but... it wasn’t her, right?” She gave the agent an imploring look. “It wasn’t her. That’s why I did it.”

Leon didn’t know what to say after that story. He left the metal bowl to the side and bit his lips nervously.

“Nobody should go through an experience like that.” He said after a short pause. “I'm so sorry. I don’t know how you can keep it up.”

“I'm totally screwed up inside… seriously.” She fixed her light color eyes on the blue ones of him. “Call it a survival condition. I’m deflecting reality, avoiding what I've done just to survive. I cannot mourn...” she ducked her head “if I do that, I’ll fall into pieces. And I can’t, I have to leave here and live, because it's what Mom would have wanted.

Noiholt's voice broke in that last sentence, forcing her to cough to making it not too obvious. But Leon could already understand how the girl felt and, extending his right arm, he grabbed her shoulder and squeezed it, giving her some slight consolation, showing he was there for her. She looked back at him and smiled; a gesture that was strange because her eyes weren’t happy. He realized that no smile was glad in her face the whole time they had shared. But the gesture was there, and Leon narrowed his eyes. Then, he felt it.

She was beautiful. Very different from the type of woman he used to like, but that porcelain doll began to stir something very, very hidden within his soul. The fact that she wore that inferno inside made him feel empathy, and when he met her, he realized that she had aroused his protective instinct, that one he believed dead after everything that happened in Raccoon City. He swallowed, without stop watching her. It was like as if her light blue eyes shined ice, without showing any emotion, but her words made perfect counterpoint. He felt as if he could see her for much longer, tempted to discover what she hidden.

Until she broke eye contact, unable to be scanned longer under the iron armor that protected her soul from falling apart.

“You want to eat more?” She asked slowly, moving awkwardly.

“Yes, please.” He raised his bowl and give it to her, brushing her hand unintentionally.

Noiholt parted her lips while a slight blush covered her cheeks. Leon stared at her but she seemed to recover very fast, because she filled the wells and handed one to him without looking.
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PD: Special thanks to my dear that made such a great comic inspired on this fragment.
Here it is: