Chapter Text
Leon had been mulling over everything in his mind on repeat for years. How he'd failed Racoon City by arriving too late. Maybe if they'd gotten back up sooner the outbreak wouldn't have gotten as bad as it had. Maybe the city would be still standing and not a pile of crumbling debris after the government deemed it a lost cause. The same government that forced him to work for their loyal lapdogs. All because a poor kid got caught in the crossfire. All of the suits knew of Leon's uncompromising determination to look out for the innocent, using it against him to yank around his leash.
Being sworn to secrecy and brought to a top secret military base wasn't among Leon's top favourite experiences, but if it meant keeping Sherry safe, he'd play ball. Besides, the constant work gave him purpose, a way to forget the demons that trailed after him day and night. Threatening to eat him alive if he didn't throw himself into work to keep his thoughts at bay.
Everyone could feel it from him too, it was no secret what he'd been through, what Leon had seen. But instead of sympathy, it was a cruel jest to get the rookie to work twice as hard for the sake of "keeping his mind off things". Having Leon run pointless errands just so they could ensure that when they said jump, the loose cannon asked how high.
Leon opened the door to the adjoining office outside of Major Krauser's. Yet another little trip, sent to drop off meaningless paperwork, paperwork that Leon had been commissioned to fill out himself because he "paid more attention to detail with that stuff".
"I can't catch a break." He muttered to himself.
"Are you supposed to be in here?"
His gaze fell on you, so Krauser had gotten another secretary. Whether it was because his last one fell short or that the Major needed new eye candy, Leon could never tell.
"Yeah, I'm supposed to drop these off." He hands them out to you, pulling his fingers back just in time so that they don't brush.
You look over them, eyebrows furrowing slightly in concentration. "Whoever it was that did these didn't fill them out right."
"Impossible, I filled them out myself."
"Well then Mr..?"
"Kennedy. Leon Kennedy."
"Mr. Kennedy, you've made a mistake." You hand them out for him to take again.
Out of spite he snatches them from you, looking over where you had pointed out.
Leon's jaw clenched upon seeing that you were infuriatingly right.
"Give me a pen."
You let a little laugh escape from you, amused that he'd admitted defeat, even reluctantly. You hand him over the pen, watching intently as he bent over the desk to make his adjustments.
Everything about Leon gave him a commanding presence. The confidence with which he stood, presented himself. You took him in, the blonde hair hanging low over his icy blue eyes, the determined set of his jaw. He was handsome, you had to admit. It was a crime to keep a man like that hidden away at this military base. Although maybe it was luck on your side that he hadn't been snatched up.
"I've seen you around, but never learned your name."
He looks up now, meeting your gaze. "Is that right?"
"It doesn't seem like you go off grounds much."
Leon switches his attention back to the paperwork in front of him. "No, I don't."
"Any reason why? I would've thought you had a girlfriend you went to see."
Tension tightens the muscles in his shoulders. The subject of his love life ever a sore one. "No, no girlfriend."
Maybe this shitty DSO job was shaping up for you after all.
"I find that hard to believe, handsome guy like you, no girls chasing after him?"
Leon straightens, sliding the paperwork back to you with a sudden coldness to him. As if a barrier had just locked into place between you two. "I'm not the kind of guy who does romance."
You boldly rest your hand on his. "Would you make an exception to that rule, handsome?"
He scoffs, slowly withdrawing his hand, but you can see the slightest hint of a smile ghosting his lips. "I don't think flirting is part of your job description ma'am."
You shrug. "I guess I'm just taking initiative with my self-development."
Your remain locked onto each other for a few moments of intense silence until Leon forcefully breaks it, returning the files to you.
"Fixed everything, should be what you need now."
You read over the corrections, not missing how Leon stares at you while you do so. He had the type of stare that would tear through a person and put their entire being on display for his scrutiny.
"Looks like you're all set, thank you Mr. Kennedy."
"Leon, miss...?"
You give him your name, which he promises to commit to memory. The idea makes your stomach flutter in wonderful ways, the idea of someone like you being on his mind a truly delightful thought.
"I'll uh, see you around then?" He says at last, breaking the shyness that you two couldn't seem to shake.
"I hope so." You don't bother to hide the blush that had infiltrated your cheeks. Let him see how he was affecting you, that you wanted him and weren't ashamed to admit it. If anything it made your intentions clear.
Leon inclined his head slightly, amused at your straightforwardness, giving you another slight smile before quickly stepping out of the office, leaving only the lingering scent of him for you to cling onto.
You had a feeling you'd be seeing a lot more of Mr. Kennedy in the coming days.
Harmless flirting wasn't a problem, that's what Leon had been continuing to tell himself after he'd left you. He had a policy not to get attached, especially in this line of work when anyone could get infected and turn at a moment's notice. When he could get another knife in his back at a moment's notice.
"Where are you going?" He'd asked, finding Ada already dressed and zipping up her boots. They'd barely been together longer than an hour and she was already leaving.
An hour after how many years, it wasn't enough.
"I have to get these samples out of here." Her voice was detached, as if they were still on a mission. As if what they'd just done didn't matter.
"You're not going to stay a while? It's been so long Ada..."
"I have work to do, I don't have time for pleasantries."
Leon's brows furrowed. "So this is all about your work? Is that all this ever was?"
"Yes, and the sooner you understand that the easier it'll be for you."
It would have been less painful if she'd slapped him.
"Seriously? That's all I am? Some...toy for your amusement?"
"Don't take it so personally, handsome. Maybe we'll meet again one of these days."
"I wouldn't count on it." He spits out.
She shakes her head, almost intrigued by his strong reaction. "Take care of yourself Leon, it was fun while it lasted."
The memory of that night still stung, still brought Leon a deep-seated pain that he refused to acknowledge. Maybe he'd gotten over it by now, he hoped so. But that didn't mean he could trust anyone like that again, trust himself to catch feelings, give bits of his heart away.
You were pretty, seemed charming, that he could all admit. Leon liked flirting with you, knowing that you found him attractive and wanted to flirt back. You treated him like he was someone important, someone you wanted to get to know. And he wanted to get to know more of you. There was nothing wrong with that, he wasn't throwing open the gates to his heart and letting you come and take it. Leon could flirt, have some fun, see where things went, but one thing was for certain:
He would keep you at arms length. He couldn't afford to let it go further than that.
