Work Text:
This is bullshit . Leon pushed through the double doors of the old government building, his coat slung over his arm and his brows drawn together in a frown. He felt tense, even though all he had been doing was filling out paperwork, signing his life away. This is bullshit. But he didn’t know what else to do and didn’t know where else to go.
He stood under the awning of the old building, just outside the doors, for a moment and then stepped out onto the stairs that led down to the street, taking in a deep breath of petrichor, letting the rain splatter against his warm skin, and wet his hair. It was late, and he was tired. Maybe he would feel better about this job the government had somehow coerced him into after he got some sleep. But he doubted it. Sleep was not something that came easily anymore… not after everything that had happened in Raccoon City only one month ago.
He shook his head as he reached the last step, he didn’t want to think about any of that right now. The past was better left in the past. How many times had he repeated that little phrase to himself, only to have his thoughts drift to her ? Quit it, Leon . He gritted his teeth, turning down the sidewalk to begin the tedious walk back to his little apartment. He was too distracted. But not enough that his senses were so dulled he didn’t notice the shadow of a figure beginning to follow him once more. He took another deep breath of the cool evening air, reaching into his coat as he walked to touch the pistol he kept tucked away at his hip.
The rain was coming down harder now, beginning to soak into his coat and plaster his hair to his forehead. He had noticed this figure the other night, following him home from running errands. He had wanted to confront them then but Sherry had been with him. No way was he going to step into a potentially dangerous situation with his ward at his side. Sherry had been through enough already.
Now, though… Now Leon was alone. He had faced so much in such a short amount of time. Monsters of all shapes and sizes. But now, after everything he’d been through, he was afraid . So many questions filled his mind, and under it all was anxiety. What sort of sinister purpose did this person have? He knew from documents that he had found in Raccoon City that the Tyrant had been sent by Umbrella to dispose of survivors. What if this person had the same intentions? Would they kill him? And then Sherry would be left defenseless. No. He couldn’t let that happen.
Leon stopped underneath a flickering streetlight, focusing on the feel of the cold rain against his skin. Calm. You are calm . He willed himself to be steady. To be brave. And before his stalker could flee into the shadows he yanked his gun free and spun around, pointing the gun directly at the shadow of the person’s head.
“Hey! Show yourself!” He said. “Come into the light.”
There was a chance that they’d just run, Leon knew that much. But something told him that confrontation was the best move with this one, despite the fact that still , a whole month after the Raccoon City incident, his hands shook when he held a gun.
The figure froze, and then they stepped forward until the light from the old street lamp slowly cast a glow over her dark raven hair and the delicate curve of her familiar face. Leon almost lowered his gun instinctively. Almost .
“Leon,” Ada said, raising her hands slowly.
“So, it’s true!” He breathed, “You’re alive.”
“Word travels fast, huh?” she said, “I wondered if even you would have heard something.”
Leon’s thoughts were all jumbled, and his head hurt. For some reason, seeing Ada Wong again made his heart quicken and his cheeks grow warm, and it made him so painfully confused.
“Well, you’ve caught me,” she said, breaking the silence. Something about the way she said that though made Leon think that perhaps she hadn’t been trying too hard to stay hidden. “You told me back in NEST that you were doing your job. That you were going to bring me in. Are you going to arrest me, Leon?”
She wasn’t provoking him, he could hear it in her voice. It was a genuine question. Leon hesitated. When he had been questioned about the events in Raccoon City, Leon had avoided talking about Claire and had never once mentioned Ada. He had wanted to keep Claire away from the government’s radar. And Ada… well, at first he had thought that the story he shared with her was too private to share with anyone else. When he heard rumors of an Ada Wong still working as a mercenary, he still said nothing. To keep her safe. Now, he was faced with a decision.
Leon met Ada’s eyes, and lowered his gun, slipping it back into its holster. “I’m not an officer anymore,” He said, shrugging his shoulders casually. Then he frowned, crossing his arms. “Why are you back, Ada?”
Her expression shifted to hurt, and she hugged herself, just barely. “Let’s find somewhere dry to talk.”
The picnic shelter at the park nearby proved to be a quiet, secluded spot this late at night. Ada sat on the steps leading up to the concrete pad, just under the little roof, her dark heels still being dotted by the rain. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back a little, and taking in a deep breath. She was wearing a coat, but by now it was soaked through. Leon couldn’t sit still. He paced back and forth for a moment, eyes darting out to where a street lamp was illuminating the rain on the corner of the park grounds. The movement was distracting him. “Why’d you come if you’re not going to talk?” He snapped. The words sounded harsher than he meant, and he bit the inside of his cheek.
“I’m sorry,” Ada said simply, “Ask anything.” She closed her eyes again, and Leon watched her for a moment before he let out a sigh and sat beside her on the steps in resignation.
“Why are you here?”
“I don’t know,” Ada replied.
“What the hell do you mean you don’t know?!” Leon huffed.
“I don’t know. Just ask a different question.”
He let out a sigh of defeat, “Fine. Why did you lie to me?” If she wanted him to ask questions he’d start with the hard ones. Ada let out a deep sigh, looking up at him with narrowed eyes.
“We’ve talked about this, Leon,” she said, “I was just doing my job. It was supposed to be easy. Go in, get the sample, get out. I never imagined…” she trailed off, her eyes locking with his as if she were searching for the right words.
“...it’d be that bad?” Leon supplied.
She shook her head, “No, I never imagined I’d meet someone like you.”
Leon’s heart skipped a beat, and he cursed himself and whatever these feelings were. How could she say something like that? Did she know how it made him feel? He couldn’t help but wonder if she was toying with his heart, like a cat playing with a mouse. But then… what did she have to gain from it this time around? Nothing. He had nothing to give her. Still, the thought persisted and ached inside him. “Is everything you say a lie?” He asked. This time he wanted to sound angry, but he only ended up sounding pathetic and needy and in pain.
“No,” Ada whispered. “I’m being honest with you now, and everything I told you back then was the truth—except for my true occupation and the real reason I needed the virus sample.” He stared at her for a long moment.
Back in Raccoon City he had had his doubts. She had asked him on the tram if he trusted her, and he hadn’t been able to say yes . “As much as I wanted to trust you, I realized I don’t.” But now, he could see in her eyes that she was telling the truth, beyond a shadow of a doubt he knew she wasn’t lying. Relief, as he had never felt before, made him breathe easy.
All the things she had said to him flitted through his mind. But the ones that he played over and over again in his head stood out the most.
“You said you wanted to see me again,” he said softly.
“It was the truth,” she said. “I’ve never met anyone like you.” She smiled, but Leon couldn’t help but think that the smile was rather sad, like there was something underneath it that she wasn’t sharing with him. He wanted to say something more, but instead, he settled on changing the subject. “How did you get out?”
“Easy,” she said. “My hookshot. I found my own path out of the facility. With you distracting the big guy I got through without too much of a problem.”
“Wait…” Leon blinked, eyes wide, realization flooding his mind. “Was that…?”
“Oh, the rocket launcher?” Ada smirked, “You’re welcome.”
Leon stared at her for a moment and then let out a deep breath, “You saved my life—again .”
“I was calling it even,” she said, “But now I’m here so what does that say?” She laughed bitterly. “Guess I couldn’t get you out of my head.” Leon flushed and glanced away, staring out to the dark playground of the little park. The swings were swaying just a little in the breeze. She spoke again in the silence, “But… I understand if you don’t feel the same way. The things I’ve done in the past, Leon…. They aren’t deserving of knowing someone like you. You asked me why I came here. Well… I suppose it’s to say goodbye.”
Leon practically jumped, “What are you talking about?”
Ada smiled bitterly, and Leon thought that maybe he saw tears in her eyes. “Everything that happened in Raccoon City… I never expected it. I never expected I’d meet you… I never expected that you’d change everything . But our paths are so destined to be opposites,” she said. She tensed a little as if she couldn’t believe she was sharing this with him. “You are the strongest, kindest man I know. You have a good heart. I found myself hoping that you would get out of Raccoon City alive. That you would be able to share that heart with someone. And I found myself wishing…” she bit her lip, glancing away.
“Wishing what?” Leon frowned.
“Wishing that someone was me . But I know that it can never be like that. Me? I belong here. In the shadows. Flirting with the dark. But you… you are too good, too pure, for this cruel, dark world, Leon Kennedy. I wanted to see you one last time before things go back to the way they were before—”
“Who the hell says they have to?” Leon snapped.
“What?” Ada blinked, staring up at him.
“Who the hell says things have to go back to the way they were before? It was you, Ada.” His expression softened and he reached out and cupped her cheek. “Didn’t I tell you back then you’re not getting rid of me that easy? I’m not leaving you.”
Tears bloomed at the corners of her eyes, and she shook her head, “Leon—”
“I’m not leaving you,” he said again, resting his forehead against hers. “Don’t you dare say goodbye.”
“So stubborn,” she smiled, shaking her head. “What if you regret it?”
“No way,” he shook his head, thumb brushing against her jaw. He paused, thinking back to that day, “I have… one more question, though.” He pulled away, hand dropping away from her cheek, sitting up and looking her in the eyes.
“In the cable car… you kissed me. Why? ” She knew what he was asking. Had that kiss been a part of her game all along… or… was there something more…?
There was no hesitation in her expression. She smiled, a genuine smile, making Leon’s heart skip a beat, and she spoke, her voice steady, and honest. “Because I wanted to kiss you, Leon.” Before either of them could say anything else, he leaned forward, tilting his head, and kissing her softly on the lips, cupping her cheek with his hand, his heart pounding in his chest. Ada deepened the kiss, her eyes fluttering closed, tracing her hand across his shoulder and then wrapping her arm around him, drawing him closer.
Despite the cold and the rain, they were both warm, sharing their second kiss in the darkness of a miserable evening. He knew this wouldn’t last, but Leon had such strong hope, pulling away only for her to kiss him again, her eyes lidded with soft desire. He felt that as long as he kept her in his heart, their paths would cross again. As if just by her being part of him, he could write it in the stars. A destiny of their own design.