Leon Kennedy x F!Reader 18+
So I rewrote this chapter twice now, so let me state that I am so sorry for the delay! I really just wanted to be able to give you guys something that you will enjoy and I hope that you guys can. Thank you for being so patient with me! Also it gets a bit graphic at the end so you’ve been warned!
Slightly Proofread!!
Trigger Warnings/Caution!: This story is not meant for younger viewers so MDNI. Though there is a romantic element to this story there is of course canon-typical violence, gore, horror, heavy topics (such as abuse, alcoholism, misogyny, and more), and many other elements that might be seen in the story. So if you are sensitive to any of these please either proceed with caution or don’t read! Of course not everything is in canon with the Resident Evil universe so please bear with me. If there are other things that I have not mentioned please let me know!
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Chapter 19
DSO Laboratory: 4:40pm
“When was the last time you took a break Doc?”
You look up from your microscope to find Leon leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed and head tilted to rest against the cold metallic surface. His blue eyes looked pale because of the cheap fluorescent lights filtering from the ceiling, yet the intensity of his stare never dimmed as he continues to stare at you. You push back from your seat with a dramatic huff as you take the slide containing your recent project to store it for Dr. Winchester to examine. You would need to get someone to help deliver it, maybe have one of the new interns do it if they were available.
“I’m not sure what that even means. Must not be in the dictionary,” You joke halfheartedly as you place the item in a secured container before gently placing it inside a cold storage unit.
From the corner of your eye you see Leon pinch the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh before pushing off from his perch and making his way towards you. His heavy boots thud against the polished tiled floors as he stalks his way across to the room in a few long strides. You’re currently leaning against a counter with your own arms crossed, a teasing smirk rising in your lips as you watch him approach you. You raise an inquisitive brow when he’s finally standing in front of you- waiting to see what this man will do next.
He arches one eyebrow as he looks down at you, a debate clearly going on in his mind, but of what you’re not sure when he suddenly plucks the safety glasses from your face and drops them on the countertop. Your mouth drops into an indignant gasp at Leon’s audacity, watching as his lips curl into a playful smile.
“Pretty sure it is (Y/N),” He taunts, “it’s just more likely not in yours.”
“I’ll have you know I am well versed in the English vocabulary Agent Kennedy,” You huff out a heated breath, “I just choose to ignore some of it for the benefit of my research.”
His eyes scoured the room, noting how cluttered it has become since his last visit here. Test tubes of varying sizes and shapes are strewn around the lab with various materials of different colors resting within each tube. From where he stood he could see labels detailing the type of substance used in each chamber but can’t make out what each one said. There were several open and unopened texts and files scattered throughout the unoccupied areas of the lab’s table and surrounding countertops. He also noted a laptop left out next to where you had been previously sitting, the glare of the screen threatening to burn his retinas. Though the room wasn’t necessarily a mess, it was clearly a bit disorganized compared to when he was here last time. Turning his attention back to you, Leon can finally take stock of your appearance now that he was finally up close to you.
He can see the dark, purple rings hanging below your tired (E/C) eyes. The whites are a bit red (most likely from stress or exhaustion) and appear a bit dull compared to the other times he’s seen your eyes shine. You’re wearing a white lab coat with the DSO logo stitched above a breast pocket with your new company issued badge dangling from a lanyard around your neck. He can see the wrinkles on your dark blue T-shirt and how disheveled your hair has become; most likely due to either stress or by habit but he wasn’t sure. And lastly, Leon saw the noticeable stain of some sort on your pant leg that covered a good partition of your thigh. Overall you looked like an overworked, sleep deprived mess.
You can feel embarrassment heat up your face as you watch as Leon does one final scan of your body before he turns his concerned eyes on your own. You go to say something, probably to defend your actions with reason, when Leon turns away from you and makes a beeline for your office. You quickly follow him with a bark of protest just as the stubborn dark haired man opens the door and begins to scrounge about the place. You stand there, a bit lost as to what he might be doing, when you see Leon find your purse and clutch it in his hands.
Using humor to deflect your nerves, you say, “Not really sure if that’s your style Leon. Kind of clashes with your outfit.”
Leon stops, his head snapping in your direction, when a confused (yet slightly amused) expression morphs onto his handsome face. He looks down at his clothes with a slight perplexed look. He’s wearing yet another pair of Levi jeans that cling to his legs in a way that should be illegal due to how defined his legs looked while he wore them. His black shirt was a stereotypical button up with a few buttons straining against the broad expanse of his body, highlighting the sculpted muscles beneath his skin. And, as always, he wore his favorite pair of boots, but now they were looking a bit more scuffed- as if he had just recently went on a hike of some kind. From where you stood you could see the way the sun kissed his dark hair in a way that made it almost look like a golden, dirty blond. You refrain from biting your lower lip as you stared at this godly specimen of a man. It honestly shouldn’t be possible for a human being to be this pretty.
Leon stares at the purse clutched in his grasp before he chuckles a low, gravelly sort of laugh as he walks away from your desk, a humorous glint swimming in the twin blue oceans that are his eyes. Not long after he steals your bag Leon drops the thing unceremoniously into your arms with a mischievous smirk tugging on his lips.
“I’m more of a leather jacket, backpack sort of guy. This, on the other hand, suits your taste more than mine.”
“And you’re choosing to nearly rob me of my purse was because-”
“Because! You, my friend, need to get out and take a break. You’ve been at this for days now and the last time I checked in on you, you promised me that you would take it easy. But clearly you don’t like keeping said promise because here I am, yet again, finding you hunched over yet another experiment as if you were that creepy little troll guy from that one Lord of the Rings movies.”
An outraged scoff leaves your lungs as you scowl at Leon, your eyes narrowing into a dangerous glare. How dare he compare you to some gremlin from an old (yet timeless) fantasy epic! What did he know about your work or your routines? You had work to do, lives to save! Sure you might have forgotten to take a five minute breather, so what? It wasn’t like you were behaving like some mad scientist or a dragon watching over its hoard. And (unknown to him) you were taking it easy. Compared to how cluttered and overwhelmed you were back at the BSAA, this was nothing but child’s play to you.
“I do keep my promises, thank you very much!” Your voice sounding a bit snotty at the end, causing Leon to roll his eyes at your theatrics.
“As I was saying,” His eyes narrow at you with a slight scornful look, “You need to get out and touch some grass, go on a walk, or better yet get something to eat. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your intolerable habit of not eating anything once you get lost in your thoughts. You can’t keep working like this (Y/N). It’s not healthy!”
“I’m fine! I ate this morning and had a granola bar a few minutes ago,” You frown, even to your own ears it sounded a bit pathetic.
“And how much is a ‘few minutes’? Or do I not want to know,” His fingers make the infamous air quotes around the words few and minutes. His blue eyes were like a tsunami, the cascading waves turning the seas into a raging storm. You almost crumble under the sheer force of his gaze on you, a little ashamed to admit that you were going to loose this battle.
You couldn’t help it though. Your sheer lack of self preservation was only drowned out by the need to get things right- to get things done as quickly yet as efficiently as possible. In your mind you couldn’t risk losing even a precious second when it came to your work. The pressure of so many lives depending on your job was like having cement blocks anchored to your feet. The heavy weight constantly threatened to pull you down, to sink you into the deepest depths of despair. To you, you couldn’t stop nor did you want to. But you could see from Leon’s perspective that what you were doing was indeed an unhealthy lifestyle. The constant need to move, to go, go, go! You’ve been like this for years now and you were afraid that you might not be able to stop. For so many years you’ve been like this, and to have someone, a newly acquainted friend no less, telling you that you’re hurting yourself was hard to swallow. But Leon was right, because of course he was.
Clutching the strap of your purse, you chew on your bottom lip as you felt a wave of embarrassment hit you. To be called out like this felt shameful, like you were a child being scolded by their parents. Then your eyes dart to the mess that accumulated throughout the lab. You saw the opened textbooks, the slightly displaced files that need to be returned back to the archives, the notes haphazardly written across slightly crinkled paper, even to the test tubes and still running machinery that hadn’t had a moments rest since you started working here. It was like a bomb had went off in here and the hazy fog of your mind finally dissipates as you take in the scene.
From beside you Leon takes a step forward and rests a reassuring hand on your shoulder. The heat of his hand soaks through your clothes and ignites a jolt of electricity across your skin. You try not to notice, to feel the comforting weight that palm portraits, but Leon watches as the fight leaves your body and your shoulders finally relax. He squeezes the gentle curve of muscle that meets your neck to your shoulder with a firm, yet gentle touch. His hand then drifts from there to cradle the wrist that hung limp by your side. Shocked by the sudden sensation of his skin touching yours, your (E/C) eyes dart up to look into his own- your lips parted to shape into an O.
“I’m not tryin to be an asshole (Y/N). But I can’t just sit back and watch you run yourself into the ground like this. I still remember what happened back in Nebraska. How you practically hibernated for 2 fucking days. I don’t think I can handle it if something like that happens again, or worse. Just- just take a break, even if it’s for a few minutes. Please…”
Your throat feels tight while the roof of your mouth suddenly feels as if you swallowed cotton. Leon was right. You couldn’t continue to work like this. But that nagging, self deprecating voice in the back of your head was screaming at you; telling you that you were a coward, a pathetic human that would sacrifice the lives of others just for her own personal gain. Leon must sense the hesitation because he takes another step toward you, this time taking both wrists in his hands.
“I don’t know your entire story,” He pauses as he takes in a deep breath, “But whatever you’re thinking isn’t true. You’re a good person (Y/N). You work hard, kick ass, and know how to handle a situation without so much as breaking a sweat. It’s okay to take a moment for yourself. You don’t constantly have to prove yourself to anyone because doing so will only end up hurting you in the end.”
You open your mouth to say something but Leon shakes his head, not finished with his words as he goes on to say, “You’re not alone in this Doc. You’ve got Rebecca, Chris, and me. Just lean on us a little, yeah? No matter what happens we’ll be here. And we’ll support you in whatever way you need us to. But what we don’t want to see is our friend burning herself out because she has a terrible habit of being a workaholic.”
“But what if I fail?” Your voice comes out as a whisper as you ask him this question. Your head drops, your chin dipping to meet your chest as you take in a shaky breath, “What if there is another disaster and I could have been the one to stop it? What if I walk away and someone needs me? Or if a person gets hurt because of my negligence? I can’t-“
Suddenly, you feel the distinct sensation of callused fingers cradle your cheeks as Leon Kennedy tilts your head up to look into his eyes. The storm is still there, but the oceanic waves have tempered down a bit as the vibrant blue shimmers beneath the overhead lights. He wipes away a rogue tear that has somehow trickled down the curve of your face as he waits for you to pull it together. The electric zap from earlier is back, but even more so now that your face was practically covered by his large hands.
“You’re not a failure. Do you hear me? I’ve heard so many stories from Rebecca while we were stationed in Nebraska. She told me how you fought to save thousands of lives while you were working in Europe. How you managed to find a cure for the most deadly of diseases just because you wanted to help people. You’re not selfish. You’re not weak. Whatever happened in the past that made you think that you had to sacrifice yourself isn’t here to hurt you anymore. And if you still feel that way then I’ll be here to remind you that you’re not alone, that you’re not a burden. Trust me (Y/N). I won’t let anything happen.”
You can feel your resolve crumble like wet sand as you look at this man standing before you. His silhouette casts a dark shadow over your trembling frame, but the darkness doesn’t scare you. Instead it felt safe, comfortable- as if you were standing beneath a giant tree that was protecting you from the sun’s harsh rays. For one moment you allow yourself to bathe in the sweet dream, of someone who was actually willing to protect you from all the things that might harm you. But then reality snaps back and your body grows cold. No one can protect you, not from everything. You’ve learned that the hard way, many, many lifetimes ago. Still, you allow yourself this little respite from the pain of your past, of the ghosts that haunt your mind.
You take Leon’s hands into your own, pulling them away from your face as you say, “Thank you Leon. I’ll try to remember that.”
You watch as his lips press into a thin line, a bit of uncertainty in his expression, as if he was unsure to believe you or not. He takes a few steps back as he tries to clear his throat. He shuffles a bit awkwardly as you stare at him, allowing yourself the brief glimpse of seeing how flustered this feared federal agent can be.
Your fingers twist the strap of your purse once more when you finally decide to cave in. Your shoulders slump and your back starts to hunch forward as you drag your feet to the small coat rack that you’ve recently purchased for your office space. You can feel the heat of Leon’s gaze tracking your every move as you shrug off the stiff fabric of your lab coat and hang it on the nearest hook. Slinging your bag over your shoulder, you march past the still confused agent when you pause by the door to look over your shoulder at him.
“Well?” You ask, “Are you coming or not?
Leon perks up, a small smile pulls at his lips as he jogs up to your side, “Where we going?”
“Sounds good to me. I know this joint just down the street that has some of the best food in the city.”
“Really? Is it like a fancy restaurant?”
He laughs, “Nah. I’m not really into those kinds of places. It’s a diner. Stays open nearly 24 hours and has some of the best French fries.”
“I could use a bit of greasy food right about now. Mind leading the way?
“We can carpool,” He digs around in his back pocket to pull out a small ring of keys, “I promise to bring you back in once piece.”
You can’t help but roll your eyes playfully at his cheesy remark, “You better! I would hate to have to send Chris on your ass.”
Another laugh and a mocking roll of his eyes, Leon boasts, “Pretty sure I can beat him in a fight.”
“What do you mean?” He sounds a bit offended as the two of you walk through the main door and head for the parking garage. The sun is bright as it hangs in the slowly moving sky. The golden rays turning into a soft orange as the evening begins to fall on the horizon. He leads you down a few aisles till the pair of you stop in front of a parked motorcycle. It was beautiful with an impressive shine on the prestige black paint and polished leather seats. It was ironic that it would seat up to two people considering Leon rarely offered someone else a ride. But as he watched you admire his bike, he can’t help but thank his past self for going with this model. It certainly benefited him right about now.
You break him out of his wondering thoughts as you say, “I just think that you two might be evenly matched. Kind of like a tie between two lions fighting for dominance.”
“Lions, huh?” Leon tries to picture it. Where Chris and he were ever in a situation where they needed to fight one another, it was almost scary how clear the image was in his mind. He never would intentionally hurt his own family, because to him Chris Redfield was family, but he could see himself having a tousle with his old friend. Maybe over something stupid but never really in a serious situation. If it ever came to that then Leon would just have to be ready for it.
You turn to look at the dark haired male hovering near the bike. His face no longer resembles a mask of frustration or worry. Instead he looked somewhat relaxed, as if talking to you was a good thing and not just a chore like it had been with people you knew in the past. You watch him as he swings his leg over the body of the bike and straddles it between his two muscular legs. Your throat bobs as you watch him casually lean back, his feet still firmly planted on the cement floor before he turns to you with a helmet in hand.
“Here,” He tosses it to you, “Wear this.”
You fumble with the thing for a second, trying not to drop it, as you flash him a look of surprise mixed with shock, “Where the hell did you keep this?”
“Had it on me this whole time,” He shrugs.
”The how the hell did I not see it?” Your eyes narrow at him with suspicion.
He smirks back at you with his white teeth peaking through. Leon then pats the seat behind him as he says, “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Just hop on. Those French fries are starting to calling my name.”
You sigh, long and drawn out, but comply as you tug the helmet over your head before strapping it below your chin. You easily swing your own leg over the leather seat, your thighs brushing against his waist while your arms wrap securely around his torso. Leon then kicks up the kickstand and reaves up the engine with enthusiasm. The roar echoes like a war cry through the slightly crowded parking deck, the sound ringing in your ears but you don’t mind it as Leon then starts to back up from his parking spot and begins to cruise for the exit. Once both of you are safely outside the deranged psychopath then guns it down the street; your terrified shriek muffled by the visor of the helmet just as you tighten your grip around Leon’s waist.
You’re now fully pressed up against the asshole which allows you to feel his smug laughter shaking his upper body. Feeling as if he needed to be punished, you take one hand and pinch his stomach causing the man to yelp from the pain.
“That’s what you get for scaring me asshole!” You shout over the wind whipping at your face. Even with the security of the helmet you can still feel the breeze hitting against your body. It felt amazing, what with all of the humidity threading to boil you alive, but you wouldn’t let that distract you from the hint of annoyance burning in your chest. He could have at least warned you that he was a maniac while on the road!
“Sorry!” He yells, “Must have slipped my mind.”
“Yeah, yeah! You owe me Kennedy!”
“I’ll play nice! Promise!”
“So much for keeping me in one piece,” You grumble as you lean with him as Leon takes an abrupt turn around a corner.
You tilted your head back and prayed to whatever deity in the skies that could hear to help you in this time of need. If this bike ride didn’t kill you and Leon, you certainly might have to finish the job.
”You weren’t kidding when you said you needed a fix,” Leon watches you with a hint of awe and something like fear tinting his voice
He’s sitting across from you, hand gripping his glass of water as he stares transfixed at your face. It’s been a while since the two of you arrived at the small restaurant known as Jessie’s Diner. The place was rustic with the interior looking as if it came straight out of the 1950s. Chrome was seen on nearly every surface with bright neon lights illuminating the restaurant in vibrant reds and blues. The floor was a black and white checkered tile with booths and bar stools made out of cheap red upholstery and vintage steel framing. Black and white photos from the late 1950s-1960s hung on the walls with various knickknacks decorating the room. The tables and bar top was a deep cherry wood with water stains and crayon markings tainting the worn down surface. And, as cliche as it was, there was a record player tucked in the far corner, currently playing Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley.
You had ordered a classic hamburger with your favorite toppings and a large order of their fries while Leon stuck with a cheeseburger with fries. The waitress (a petite white woman dressed in a 1950s diner uniform with a red stripped apron) had been quick to bring your food out to you before she scurried off to tend to her other tables. As soon as the food was in front of you the hunger that was plaguing you took hold and you dove right in- not caring if Leon was watching. The moment the greasy goodness touched your tongue you felt like you had died and gone to heaven. After all of the stress, after all of the endless hours spent staring through lenses and computer screens, this was what you needed. You had practically inhaled your hamburger by the time you had made it to the side dish. Each mouthful was a godsend and you felt like you could die happy right about now.
Meanwhile Leon is watching you scarf down your meal with an array of emotions clouding his eyes. Amusement, fear, awe, and maybe just a hint of concern. Never in his life had he seen someone inhale their food like this. It almost made him want to just sit back and watch you. Not in a creepy sort of way, more like in fascination. When he saw the gleeful little dance you did after ingesting yet another handful of fries, Leon made a mental note to bring you back here in the future. Happiness looks good on you.
You pause, drink in hand, as you slowly lower your glass and smile bashfully at him. You take a napkin and dab at your lips as you try to compose yourself. In all honesty you hadn’t meant to act like this in front of your friend. It was just that you might have zoned out just a bit when you saw the plate of food placed in front of you.
You drop the napkin back onto the table before you start to twirl a loose curl of your hair around your finger. A blush creeps up your neck as you try to avoid his attention on you. You fidget a bit, like a specimen under a microscope, as you say, “Soooo… I might have lied about something.”
Leon groans a pitiful sound as his faces drops into his hands, “About?”
Your voice sounds a bit strained and a little bit squeaky as you reply, “About eating something.”
Leon snaps his attention to you, an eerie sort of calm settling on his face, as he asks, “Please tell me you lied about the granola bar. It was the granola bar, right?”
Your throat bobs as you gulp down a huge sip of your water, your eyes not meeting his- too scared to even speak your truth. Leon lets out another painful groan (or was it more out of frustration?) when he waves down the waitress with a weak wave of his arm. The petite woman hurries to the table, a practiced smile on her cherry red lips, as she looks at your friend across from you.
“What can I do for you?” Her voice was syrupy sweet as she looks between you and the clearly upset male sitting across from you. You open your mouth to say that you were fine when Leon interjects, “Do you mind making something to-go? Like a small order of your fries or onion rings?”
The waitress smiles and nods her head as she jots down the order. Her hand flies across the paper of her notepad until she asks, “Anything else you might want?”
“We also need something sweet. Preferably nothing that’s too heavy on the stomach,” His voice sounding firm as he asks, “Do you have any recommendations?”
“Certainly! We have pies, cookies, and a new item on the menu called Turtle Island. It’s just a brownie with nuts, ice cream, and caramel sauce,” She says with a bright smile as she lists off the desserts off the top of her head.
You’re confused, wondering why this man was ordering so much food, when Leon gives you a look- one that you can’t decipher before he turns back to the waitress with a pleasant smile of his own. He orders a few of their cookies to-go as well, turning back to his plate once the waitress has finished noting the order down and scurries back to the kitchen.
He begins to finish his meal in silence, not even trying to explain his sudden urge for more as he scarfs down the rest of his food. You finish your plate as well by the time the waitress returns with a small paper bag filled with, what you presume, was the food that Leon asked for. The bag was sealed with a sticker with the Diner’s logo printed across the canvas: a bright red sticker with a picture of a small camper with Jessie’s Diner arching over in crooked white ink.
You pull out your card to pay when Leon stops you, his hand held up as if telling you to wait. Again you’re confused until you see him pull out his own wallet and hands his card to the server with a grateful quirk of his lips. Before you can protest the woman darts off into the distance with Leon’s credit card in hand.
“I could have paid for my half of it,” You frown.
Leon shrugs before leaning back in his seat, a smug expression on his lips as he says, “I know. But I wanted to.”
“I’m not a charity case Leon,” Your voice drops low as you lean forward to add, “I can take care of myself.”
That smug grin drops as a somber look takes hold. He shifts to lean forward as well, his breath mingling with your own as he does so. His eyes are, once again, burning with an intensity that you’ve never seen before. It was like he was trying to stare into your soul, to see what it was that made you tick.
He speaks with a slight sober tone in his voice as he whispers, “Like I said before, I want to help you. I’m not trying to downplay your feelings or your worth (Y/N). I just want to help you in any way I can,” He leans back to rest his back against the back of the chair as he continues, “And if that means feeding you when you’re clearly not properly feeding yourself, then I am more than happy to assist.”
“And how are you going to do that?” You ask.
“Well for starters,” He replies, “You’ll be taking that to-go order. It might not be much, but it should hold up until you get home and have dinner. That okay with you?”
You don’t reply, unsure of what to even say, as you watch as Leon signs the check before tucking his wallet back into his pant pocket. The two of you get up from the table but not before you drop a few bills on the table as a tip. Leon doesn’t say anything, instead handing you the small brown paper bag before holding the door open for you. You offer him a small “Thank you” as you walk past him while he in turn gives you a reassuring smile in return. Together the two of you hurry back to Leon’s parked motorcycle and head back to the DSO. As you cling onto Leon for dear life you began to realize something.
When was the last time someone other than your own family or Rebecca cared about your wellbeing? Surely it hadn’t been that long. You had friends, but were any of them really that close to you? Did any of them really care about you outside of pleasant conversation and corny inside jokes? When, besides your mom, had anyone else asked if you were okay? These questions continued to plague your mind as you return back to your lab. Leon had been called to the main building as soon as the two of you returned. He apologized for suddenly abandoning you, but you had simply waved him off- encouraging him that his job needed him more than you did at the moment. Leon had pursed his lips at that but didn’t engage as he says a quick farewell before speed walking out of the parking deck.
Now here you are, back with your nose to the grind, when an answer to your earlier inquiry popped into your mind. Your hands freeze mid air as the sample from the illegal drug you had found while investigating Hills Ranch was held between your trembling fingers.
It’s been years since someone has cared about you. Years since someone else had even thought to ask you the most basic of questions about your wellbeing. So long that you finally understood why Leon’s concern had felt so foreign. The intense urge to defend yourself, to deflect all of his attention away from your flaws and emotions. To build up a sturdy wall around yourself. It’s been years since the last person cared about you. That’s what you’ve come to realize, and now there was Leon who, not even a few months ago, was a total stranger to you was worried about your wellbeing. The fact that he alone cared so much had your heart racing.
Your chest tightens as you carefully move about your lab with the contraband in hand. The purple liquid sloshes about in its container as you slowly deposit a small drop of it onto a plastic circular disk. Staring down at the small droplet of the purple substance you try and wrestle your emotions down, at least until you were safe at home where you could properly analyze this without it hindering your ability to work. Taking in a deep inhale, you hold it in for several seconds before slowly exhaling. The stress and overwhelming pressure of your emotions dissipates into the air the moment you release that heavy energy from your body.
You turn back to the small disk in your hands, your fingers tighten around the edges ever so slightly as you felt a surge of determination course through your veins. You had to focus. Now wasn’t the time to psychoanalyze your feelings. Pivoting back to your microscope, you then place the disk underneath its lens as you lean forward and begin your research. All thoughts of Leon locked far away in the back of your mind as you go about your duties.
However, you never forgot about that brown paper bag and all of its goodies tucked neatly inside. Never forgot the taste of the cookies coating your tongue as you would stop for a moment to take a bite. Never forgot the greasy goodness of the fries as the salt dusted your fingers with every bite. Because no matter how much you tried to forget him, Leon Kennedy was always there- just when you needed him the most. And, for the first time in ages, the thought of someone else having a place in your heart wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
DSO Laboratory: 2 days later
“I think I have an idea on what this virus might be!”
Looking up from the computer screen at his desk, Dr. Winchester meets your excited gaze with a look of surprise. His dark brown eyes meet your (E/C) ones as he stares up at you, waiting for an explanation. The frames of his glasses are hanging low over the bridge of his nose, almost precariously, but he pays no mind as he shifts in his chair and turns his full attention on you.
“What did you find Dr. (L/N)?”
You quickly excuse yourself for your sudden intrusion, but the older man waves off your apologies with a wave of his hand before asking you to take a seat. You do so with gratitude for his kindness as you take a chance to grab the nearest chair and bring it over towards his desk. In your hands is the recent results from your research printed out in black and white. You offer your superior the files with a sort of giddiness that was almost rivaled to that of an excited toddler. He takes the paperwork before he begins to flip through each page carefully.
“I think what we are looking at is a hybrid of the G-virus and an unknown pathogen. Someone, somewhere must have genetically modified these two things to combine them into this new strand of disease. Whatever it is that they combined with the G-virus counteracts the effects of the original strain. It’s not a perfect mix but whoever designed this had a lot of faith in hopes that it might work to where the mutated cells could potentially enhance any living organism.”
Dr. Winchester states down at the words and printed out graphs showing what you have been working on tirelessly for days now. Each page a detailed report of what you discovered while studying the drugs found at the scene and the saliva samples that your friend, Rebecca Chambers, had collected. The more he reads, the further impressed he becomes.
Dr. Winchester is a legend amongst the scientific community, what with the endless awards he has received over the years working as a biologist and an environmental activist. It was thanks to his many years of experience that he alone had managed to save millions of lives when former Umbrella members tried to release an unknown virus in the Middle East after the devastating events in Raccoon City. He was also a former professor for the same Academy that your old boss, Dr. Gwen Oswald, taught at. So to say that you had been nervous to present him with your findings was an understatement.
However, judging by his pleased expression, your fears were invalid. His eyes flick back to you as a smile begins to bloom on his face. He was a handsome man despite being in his late 50s with dark sun-kissed skin and dark brown eyes. His hair had been slicked back which allowed his handsome face to shine even further. He had full lips, a strong jaw, and high cheekbones that would have any man or woman drooling over him. There were Crow’s Feet at the corner of his eyes, but other than that you wouldn’t know that this man was reaching the age of 60. Today he had discarded his white lab coat to the coat rack similar to the one you own back in your own office and chose to remain in his black scrubs instead. He wore thin framed glasses over the bridge of his nose, the same pair he quickly adjusts so that they don’t fall off.
His voice was like warm honey as he says, “I’m extremely impressed with your work Dr. (L/N). Despite the limited time you’ve had since your recovery and having to help the BSAA recover after the loss of their own research, you managed to pull off the impossible in under 2 weeks. Great job.”
You wanted to scream and jump around at his praise. Dr. Winchester has been an idol of sorts for you ever since you started to work for the DSO. Sure you enjoyed working my with Dr. Martinez and a few of the other scientists here, but after hearing so much from Dr. Oswald back at your old job, you just couldn’t help but want to be like him when you were older. But instead of acting like a fool, you chose to contain that glee by masking it with a pleasant smile of your own.
“Thank you,” You replied with a slight bow, “It’s all thanks to you and everyone here. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this all on my own.”
“Nonsense! You’ve worked twice as hard as anyone else here and I am happy to say that your efforts have paid off. Now that we know what we are dealing with we can go forward to finding a way to either cure or subdue the virus before another outbreak occurs.”
“I’m still uncertain what the other half of the virus might be Sir,” You add with a hint of caution, “Until I can confidently confirm what this is, I am not sure it’s safe to go ahead with looking into an antidote.”
“We all have to start from somewhere Ms. (L/N),” He says with a hint of sympathy, “But I understand your concern. I’ll have this faxed over to the Director and have him take a look at it to see what our next move should be.”
You nod at his suggestion feeling a sense of accomplishment settle in your mind. It had taken a lot overtime to get these results and though you were an exhausted mess, you felt like this was the break through you needed. For the next several hours you and Dr. Winchester went over the data that you both had been working on as a team, comparing notes and pointing out flaws from each others test results. By the time the Director came to your lab to thank you for your hard work it was well into the evening. The tall, lanky man was dressed rather casually (or as casual as someone like him can get) today with a polo shirt tucked into a pair of khakis. He had forego the tie this time, choosing instead to have a pair of sunglasses resting atop his head and a cashmere sweater draped over his shoulders.
“I heard through the grapevine that you had a successful breakthrough,” Director James doesn’t care to announce himself whenever he enters a room. Instead you’ve learned to just expect him to pop up at the most random of times and have trained yourself to always anticipate his arrival- even if it’s at the most inconvenient of times.
You were currently inside you office behind your desk. The laptop you owned was currently open with the bright light of the screen highlighting your face in a white light. Not wanting to seem rude or uncaring you close your laptop as you shift all of your attention to the towering giant of a man standing before you.
“That’s correct,” You speak with a humble tone as you continue, “It took us a while, but we managed to succeed. It was a team effort.”
“From what I am hearing it was YOU who originally cracked the code. I won’t lie to you Ms. (L/N), but I had my doubts at first. But…Seeing how hard you’ve been working for us since your transfer and the fact you’ve been a major asset to this company, I admit that I was terribly wrong. Both Dr. Martinez and Dr. Winchester have been bombarding me with words of admiration for you since the discovery.”
You felt a bit shy at the admission. It was honestly a bit awkward to be receiving so much praise. Even when working at your old job you never had this many people complimenting your work. If anything it had only been Rebecca and your friend Samual Prescott who had been the encouraging ones. It wasn’t until getting to know Chris Redfield that he would jump in to say a few words of encouragement to you as well, but he had been the only one new who had appreciated your work. So having so many people in this new environment bragging about your accomplishments was both overwhelming and inspiring.
“Like I said it was a team effort,” You say with a bashful grin, “But hearing that they’ve been satisfied with my part is a wonderful feeling. Thank you.”
“No, no! Thank you Ms. (L/N)! I’ve been looking forward to this for a while now. It seems to me that you are becoming a great asset to this community. Keep up the great work.”
You smile a genuine smile as you reply, “It’s all thanks to you and the team here Director James. I will continue to do my best for the foreseeable future.”
The Director grunts as he departs without so much as a ‘Goodbye’, leaving you feeling a little bit more confident in yourself knowing that you even had the big boss come to your lab and congratulate you on your success. Not wanting to damper this newfound enthusiasm, you begin to clean up your space when a knock comes from the door. Turning around you find none other than Chris Redfield leaning against the door frame. His broad shoulders alone practically filled up the entire space as he stands there with a sheepish expression on his face.
A gasp of surprise leaves your parted lips as you stare at the hulking mountain of a man who was trying to appear as casual as possible. Before he can talk you’re squealing in delight as you rush at him with a laugh. Unprepared for your sudden reaction, Chris is nearly toppled to the floor after you launch yourself at him and pull the soldier into a bone crushing hug.
“Holy shit! It’s so good to see you!” You scream in delight as you cling to your friend’s body in a tight grip. He lets out a chuckle while he wraps his large arms around your waist. For a moment both of you forget that you’re not back at the BSAA, but that moment is instantly gone when you hear a cough from behind Chris. You let him go to peer over his shoulder to find another surprise waiting for you. This time the squeak from before turns into an ear piercing shrill as you rush to tackle your best friend.
Rebecca Chambers laughs out at your display of affection but eagerly pulls you into a hug of her own, the two of you swaying together as if you were unable to hold still. Tears form at the corner of your eyes as you inhale her familiar scent- a mixture of citrus and lavender. It’s been so long since the last time you’ve seen her in person. Since the both of you have been busy neither one of you has had the chance to meet up with each other since your transfer. Sure you would speak over the phone nearly every day, but it wasn’t theme same as seeing her in person.
You pull back from her embrace as you ask, “What are you guys doing here?”
Chris steps forward, a grin of his own plastered on his handsome face, as he answers, “We got the news from the General and Lt. Prescott earlier today about what you did. We felt like stopping by and offering our congratulations on your accomplishments. It hasn’t been easy since leaving Nebraska, but we felt like we needed to be here to support you.”
The tears now flow freely down your cheeks as you take in what your friends say. They were proud of you. They wanted to celebrate your success! This, right here, was why you loved your job. Not for the money or the notoriety, but because there were people like these two who were always grateful for your work. It made all of the stress and frustration worth it if it meant that you could have done something for the betterment of others.
Seeing your tears, Rebecca gives you a look of understanding as she wipes them away with her fingers. She doesn’t say anything, just lets you vent out your feelings before pulling you into another hug. Chris takes this chance to pat the top of your head affectionately- his large, callused hand brushing the hair in a comforting manner. Through the tears and your friends stealing your attention, you don’t see Leon hovering in the background. He watches as you bask in the warmth of their presence with a soft smile on his lips. A twinge of jealousy sits low in his stomach, but he doesn’t pay it much mind. After all, it was he who had been the one to bring them here.
Leon has been by your side since the day you came back from Jessie’s Diner. He had kept his promise to you that he would be there for you, even when you didn’t ask him too. During that time he’s seen you break your back for days just trying to solve the mystery of what the virus might be. He was there to pull you out of your funk and to help remind you to breathe and to take a break when you’re not feeling well. Leon would also bring you food or some snacks whenever he had the free time to do so. You, of course, have always been welcoming to his visits and were grateful of his support. But Leon knew you missed your friends and life back at the BSAA. He saw it in your eyes whenever you thought he wasn’t looking. Saw the way you would deflate the moment your call with Rebecca would end. Saw how you would compare certain guys in training to Chris whenever you would take a walk through the training grounds.
Leon wasn’t stupid. He knew you were homesick. So what better way to cheer you up then by bringing home to you? It had been an easy call to his brother-in-arms that afternoon. Word had already spread throughout the two agencies about your success in solving the mystery of the new strain of disease that has been plaguing rural America. When Leon had first called Chris, the bastard had already heard about it before Leon could say anything. Still, Leon felt like he should still do something. So he came up with the idea that both Chris and Rebecca come see you- to offer you their support. It hadn’t taken much convincing for either of them to come. By the time Director James had left the building both Redfield and Chambers had arrived.
For a moment Leon thought he was being intrusive; however, seeing you smiling and laughing with your friends was worth it. Leon knew he could never be a selfish man. Knew that despite the devil on his shoulder scolding him for sharing you with others, he would never be happy with himself for trying to hog you all to himself. It wasn’t in his nature to be that way. And he still remembered that promise he made to you. That he would be there for you- no matter the circumstances. So there he was, watching from the sidelines, as you chat away with your friends about anything and everything. He stays there for a few more minutes before he decides that he’s seen enough. He wasn’t needed here.
But, just before he can make his escape, you call out to him with that cheerful voice, “Where do you think you’re going Kennedy?”
Leon freezes, his shoulders stiffening as he slowly looks back over his shoulder. He sees you there with playful quirk to your lips as you, Rebecca, and Chris all stare at him expectantly. A cold sweat begins to sit at his hairline as he shuffles awkwardly on his feet. He hadn’t intended to get caught, but Leon wasn’t as smooth as he thought he was. You had seen him brooding like an exiled teenager from the corner of your eye and knew that he would at some point try and sneak out.
Leon scratches the back of his neck as he chews at his lower lip in contemplation, unsure whether he should take the bait or not. You decide to choose for him in that moment as you take Rebecca’s hand in your own as you lead both her and Chris in his direction.
You look up at him with a cheeky grin as you say, “Weren’t planning on going anywhere, where you?”
“What gave you that impression?” He frowns.
Chris cuts in to add, “Maybe you slinking off to who-knows-where gave you away.”
Leon shoots him a halfhearted glare but doesn’t protest. He knows when he’s been caught. Rebecca takes that chance to use her free hand to grab his arm and tug on the sleeve of his shirt. Her warm brown eyes are like liquid gold beneath the lights in the ceiling above.
Her lips are tilted up to offer him a soothing smile as she says, “The three of us were just about to go out for drinks. Care to join us?”
For a second Leon is stunned by her offer. Not because he’s never shared a drink with someone before, but he was so certain that you would have wanted this moment alone with your old teammates. He looks at you to see if you’re uncomfortable with the idea, but your face is an open book; a look of hope and eagerness was profoundly present in your eyes. He sees the way you fidget, a sign of nerves that he’s come to know over the course of knowing you. You want him there and are waiting for his answer with hopeful optimism.
The federal agent doesn’t wait a moment longer to reply, “Sure. If that’s what you want.”
All three smile as they welcome Leon into the group, each person talking over the other with suggestions on which bar they should go for. It was so simple, so utterly normal and mundane that for a heartbeat you felt like you could just relax and enjoy being a normal human being for a change. The world of BOWs and bioterrorists long forgotten as all four of you head out the door for a much needed night out on the town. Laughter is shared amongst the group as Chris makes a jab at Leon about something that had both you and Rebecca cackling. Leon in return brings up an embarrassing moment of Chris when a fumbled a date with some woman last year. By the time all four of you make it to the bar everyone is having a good time and making memories. The feeling of homesickness is finally gone, allowing you the freedom to enjoy your time with those who you’ve come to cherish.
But you knew that something was coming. Something cold and dead that lingers like a phantom in the dark. You weren’t sure when it would appear, but you knew that it was coming. You only hoped that when it does that you and your friends would be ready.
Location: Unknown 10:45pm
There are shadows everywhere. On the walls, on the floors, on the ceiling above. Shadows that consume all light with greedy mouths as the few weak streams of pale moonlight pours through the curtains at the window. The room smells of musk and urine, a combination that has the cloaked figure gagging. It’s been a few years since the strange man has been in this place, years since he last visited this very room where it all began.
He had fond memories of this place. Memories of his childhood with his sweet mother reading him bedtime stories. Memories of his adolescence and learning to become a real man.
Memories of his first kill.
He used to frequent this place even after it was labeled as abandoned years ago. Not because he long to hear the ghosts that haunt this space, but because of those fond memories of his youth. His eyes trail over the walls that have paint chipping from the exposure of the elements, to the roof that was starting to cave in after a rogue tree branch had fallen down and tour through the house, and finally to the dark brown stain that coated most of the mold infested carpet.
It used to be the most beautiful, vibrant crimson he had ever seen. A warm, vivacious liquid that once coated his face and hands as he would dip his fingers into it and paint his skin with the colors of his first victim. He remembers the euphoria of the moment he took his first life. How exhilarating it was to watch as the life drained from their eyes, how intoxicating it was to hear their throat split open and their blood choking them with each desperate inhale. He almost wanted to laugh at them back then. They certainly deserved the Hell waiting for them once they were gone.
But that was then and this is now. As the strange man looks about the room he takes in every last detail. Every cobweb weaved in the crooked walls and high corners. The way the curtain was moth-eaten and tattered beyond saving. To the old bed frame that still had the blade marks from when his mother used to measure his height before he got too big. To the piss-stained mattress from all of the animals and possible homeless people who had taken shelter here. He took in all of the details because he knew that he would never come back here. The ghosts would no longer torment him, the pain and suffering he and his mother had endured would no longer exist in his world.
No, he was going to make a new one. A better world. A world where people like he and his mother no longer had to suffer under the injustice of the corrupted system and a system that was broken and flawed.
He would succeed with his plans. But he had to hurry. They were catching up to him and he hated that. That bitch at the DSO had figured out the virus. She had cracked the code and was on her way to spoiling everything he had left to his name.
He’d stop her. He’d stop her before she could finish what she started. But he needed a plan. A good one too! Maybe he should kill her? But then again, that didn’t work out the last time someone sent a killer to her doorstep. Should he destroy her then? Ruin all of her hard work before she had a chance to progress?
No, no! That wouldn’t do. He needed something to break her. To make her pay!
Then it hits him. A cruel, evil smile begins to split across his twisted face.
Oh yes, He thought to himself.
Yes that would do just fine.
Not sparing the room a final glance, the cloaked figure stalks out the door with an eager look in his yellow eyes. He had so many wonderful plans for her. And what better way to do that than by going straight for her weakness. Or better yet! Why not go straight to her?
He couldn’t wait to start.
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