Chapter Text
there are very few moments in your life that are better than this.
not necessarily the mission–an old umbrella lab turned into a connections hub somewhere in the swiss countryside is a practice you’ve become used to--but being partnered with the captain jill valentine is for sure a career high.
she is an incredible asset to have. after being enslaved by wesker, and then freed by chris, she had retained certain impressive preternatural abilities that make her combat feats so impressive to watch. despite her age of 58, she moves like shes younger than even you. as though the years she had stolen from her were simply given back.
she works to pick the lock to the main scientists office, calm hands working quickly at the familiar practice. it opens with a loud click as she grips the handle and pushes the door open. she steps inside gingerly, motioning for you to stay out, and you do, watching the hall as she clears the room.
from behind you hear a quiet struggle begin and with one glance back, you see jill dodge a right hook with that preternatural speed, gracefully flicking herself over his arm, her own hand moving to his neck to push him to the ground as she lands, gun poised in that signature conciliatory manner. you stare, a beat of awe passes before you register why she’s paused.
that mop of browned hair with speckles of grey, have become so familiar to you over the past few years. you’ve grown used to the grin–even the pained one he’s giving right now–and the squint of his eyes. you’re so glad to see leon, even if its here.
“kennedy,” jill gives a short chuckle as she extends her hand to take, “sorry ‘bout that” he accepts her hand, hopping up quickly with jills added strength.
“no worries,” he gives her that signature smirk before his eyes shift over to you, standing by the door with an unimpressed look on your face.
“hi, honey,” leon’s smile pulls impossibly wider, your own mimicking it.
“hi, leon,” you reply with just as much glee. jill stands in the middle of you both, eyes flicking back and forth as you awkwardly grin at each other.
“alright, agent kennedy, you’re with me,” jill breaks the silence, already moving out of the office with her gun in hand before stopping suddenly. she turns on her heel, eyes shifting between you and leon as you stand shoulder to shoulder in the doorway, clearly attempting to both follow her out of the office.
“i meant yn. leon you stay here and keep searching,” she says and, by her teasing tone, you know she won’t let this go. not without telling chris, at least.
nonetheless, you follow, tossing one last lovesick look back to him before following jill out.
“are you going to tell captain redfield about that?” you ask tentatively, voice barely above a whisper.
“of course,” she replies without hesitation.
“are you going to tell claire? and rebecca?” you ask once more. jill ceases her movements, looking back at you with an unimpressed look. your heart tightens for a moment before she breaks out into a telltale smile.
“do you not know me?” she jokes, pushing lightly against your shoulder with a quiet cackle.
at some point between her incessant teasing, you shake your head with feigned annoyance and manage to catch the eye of someone on a seemingly inconspicuous balcony. the hallway you and jill are crowding is fitted with opulent floor to ceiling windows, and just outside is a balcony that juts just off the side of the mountain the lab sits on. its close enough that you can easily make out her face, but with that signature extravagant maroon-accented coat and inordinate heeled boots, you know well enough who it is.
ada gives you a knowing smirk as you’re reminded of how leon never quite managed to tell you what happened between them. its hard to read her from where you stand, but the wink she offers before plunging off the other side of the balcony tells you all you need to know.