Chapter Text
"Are you okay?" Claire scans K-Mart carefully and she grins brightly in response.
"Obviously! This is so awesome," K-Mart is practically vibrating with excitement and Claire shakes her head, smiling fondly.
"Mr. Wesker will see you now," The assistant announces, and she also smiles as K-Mart shoots out of her chair, marching toward the closed office door.
Claire quickly follows her, sometimes K-Mart is just a bit too excited for her own good.
The door swings open and Claire scans the room carefully, taking in the various trophies before her gaze settles on Mr. Wesker.
She has to stop a disdainful look from emerging when she sees the man- she never cared for him or his ever-present sunglasses. Still, as the owner of the most successful currently active teams, it's hard to avoid him if you want to make it within the baseball scene. That doesn't mean she has to like him though- and she doesn't.
Wesker barely glances up from the computer, but gestures towards the chairs in front of his desk.
K-Mart quickly sits down, and Claire follows, albeit more slowly.
"So, Dahlia-"
"It's K-Mart, actually," K interrupts, and Wesker looks up, scanning them both.
"Very well. You will meet the rest of the team in-" He glances down. "20 minutes. You start training tomorrow, and I expect you to be up to par within the week."
K-Mart nods enthusiastically. "I trust you will not disappoint," Wesker continues. "Ms. Redfield... K-Mart," He nods at them, and the door opens to reveal the assistant, making it clear they're dismissed.
-----
They walk down the hallway, K-Mart still buzzing, Claire still trying not to let her dislike of Wesker show on her face.
"Can you believe this?" K-Mart exclaims, as much to herself as to Claire.
Claire smiles, annoyance diminishing just slightly. "I most certainly can, considering I've been in negotiations for half a year by now," She teases.
K-Mart beams at her. "I know! It's amazing, thank you."
Claire ruffles her hair and K-Mart groans, quickly running a hand through her hair to fix it.
"Don't ruin my first impression," Her glare is quickly replaced by another smile.
As they turn a corner Claire just about walks right into a woman wearing a dirty baseball uniform.
They both stop at the same time, Claire is slightly taller, but she's willing to bet that without her heels they'd be about the same height.
The woman looks like she's sizing her up, eyes traveling down to her feet, then back up to her eyes, and she smirks.
Claire's eyes narrow slightly but before she can open her mouth to say- what? She doesn't know- K-Mart squeals, and they both look over at the blonde ball of excitement.
"Alice Abernathy! Oh my god!" K-Mart feigns fainting, and Claire takes a step back, ignoring the woman- Alice's eyes on her.
Alice's eyes shift back to K-Mart, and she smiles widely. "You must be K-Mart," She stretches out a hand and K-Mart grasps it, then shakes it enthusiastically. Alice laughs, and steps back. "Everyone's waiting to meet you, I'm sure they're just- or well, almost as excited as you are."
"I hope you're not nervous, none of us bite," Alice glances at Claire again at that, then adds after a second, "Well, maybe Rain. But only when she's grumpy," She pauses again. "So, pretty often actually."
K-Mart's smile is the widest it's ever been- Claire is pretty certain. Suddenly something dawns on K-Mart and she takes a step back.
"Alice, this is Claire, my agent. Claire, this is Alice, she's like, the greatest player on the team."
Alice smirks. "Don't let the others hear you say that," She gives Claire another once-over, and Claire raises an eyebrow, before Alice holds her hand out.
Claire takes it, and Alice grasps it firmly. It can't really be described as a handshake as there is no shaking taking place, their hands are simply clasped in a firm hold.
Alice's eyes glitter mischievously. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too," Claire feels like they're sizing each other up, something among this feels like a challenge, but she's not sure why it feels like a challenge or what the challenge is.
K-Mart clears her throat, and Claire quickly lets go of Alice's hand, not missing the quick, amused smile that briefly appears on the other woman's lips.
"You should get going, the team is waiting," Alice smiles at K-Mart. "I'll be right there."
She steps around Claire, a bit too close for comfort, and Claire shifts with her, following her with her eyes for a moment.
Alice turns back, grinning. "Watch where you're going next time, Red," Her grin morphs into a smirk as Claire's eyes narrow, and then she disappears around a corner.
K-Mart is practically vibrating again. "She. Is. So. Cool!" She exclaims, then starts skipping to the room where the rest of her new team is waiting.
Claire is still looking after Alice, trying to decipher the mess of annoyance and intrigue and whatever else she is feeling, when K-Mart calls out.
"Claire, hurry! We'll be late!"
She turns, walking after K-Mart at a moderate pace, thank you very much. Her thoughts slip from Alice to everything else she has to do now that K-Mart is a part of the STARS team.
"Come on!" Claire laughs at K-Mart's rush, but hurries nonetheless.
-----
"She is so hot," Rain whispers- well, says somewhat quietly, but close enough.
Ada nods in agreement, and Jill hums. Alice says nothing, and Rain smirks in realization. "Dibs."
All eyes turn to her. "You can't just...dib a human," Ada frowns.
"I don't think dib is a word, but true," Jill punches Rain in the shoulder.
"What? I dibbed her on behalf of Abernathy," Rain wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, and Alice glares at her.
"Again, pretty sure dibbed isn't a word either," Jill objects.
They all sit quietly and observe the redhead for a second, until she looks up, right at them. Jill and Ada quickly turn away, while Alice meet her eyes for a moment, then also looks away at Claire's sharp gaze.
Rain, on the other hand, as discreet as only Rain can be, smirks at her, making a come-hither motion. Claire's eyes seem to glaze over with ice, arms crossing across her chest.
"You're gonna strike out just like you did at practice," Ada calls after her as she gets up and starts strolling towards Claire, still glaring ice that might have stopped a lesser woman dead in her tracks. Rain casually flips Ada off on the way, and Jill and Ada both laugh.
Alice's eyes travel over Claire again, and she meets her eyes. Her red hair falls down her shoulders beautifully and Alice thanks whatever Gods there may be for the suit Claire is wearing. Her look seems to issue a challenge and- okay- dibs.