"What do you think is keeping her?" Joseph asked, looking over at his team mate, Chris Redfield. Chris was leaning against the soda vending machine, in a casual, but impatient way. Silently, Chris shook his head as the different scenarios played out in his mind.
"What do you mean you don't know? You're practically her boyfriend. You're supposed to know. Think it's her land lord?" Joseph ventured further. Common knowledge that Jill's landlord hated that she worked for the RPD, especially since there were so many housing violations. Even though Jill insisted that she wouldn't bother to say anything, the man gave her a hard time still.
"Could be." Chris started, ignoring the boyfriend comment. He got that a lot, especially from Joseph.
"She's been late this whole week, but she won't tell me. I bet she over slept again." He pushed off the vending machine as an officer came over to purchase a drink. Chris moved aside and watched him absently. 10 in the morning, and Jill had yet to come in.
"But it's best not to worry, she's a big girl, she can handle herself." Chris continued, looking over at Joseph. Joseph nodded, and headed back to the S.T.A.R.S office. Chris let out a sigh of resignation as he headed back to the S.T.A.R.S office.
Jill came striding into the S.T.A.R.S office well into the late afternoon, her friend looked over, and approached her, concern and worry filling his brown eyes.
"Hey, so, uh, what kept you?" His nonchalant tone downplayed his concern, turning it into slight curiosity.
"Sorry… my car stalled…" Jill mumbled absently, more so to herself than to Chris. Again, his mind raced, trying to spot the lie, but she gently caressed his arm, causing him to drop the matter.
"Anything new?" She asked, sauntering past him, leaving him with that clean soapy scent that he had grown to relate to her presence. He watched as she made her way to her seat.
"N-no, nothing, actually." Chris said, letting that gushing sensation in his gut subside. For as long as he could remember working for the RPD, he had always liked Jill.
She was the only female member on the team, and she had proved to know her stuff. She never seemed to be even mildly interested in him, other than a casual relationship.
His desk was right behind hers, so usually, they sat back to back in the small, cramped S.T.A.R.S office. At night, when the Alpha Team switched to let Bravo come in, his desk was occupied by Forest Speyer.
After hours usually consisted of Joseph, Chris and Jill grabbing a beer at the local bar, and then each other them going their separate ways. Joseph always got to take Jill home, given that they lived closer together. Chris usually ended up taking the subway back to his place downtown.
But tonight was going to be different. Chris knew it, Jill had come in late, and Wesker would have her make it up, somehow—probably dock her pay, or something, he wasn't sure. Wesker was funny like that, the man himself wasn't even in the office, but he was around. Chris was pretty sure he had seen him earlier, stalking up and down the halls, like a predator or something. That man was definitely someone who would take some getting used to.
Captain Wesker was as cold as ice, and unreadable as a black screen. While everyone had personal effects on their desks, he had none, and made it clear that he held nothing dear—that is of course except his hair gel. He always had a bottle there, and fixed his hair as often as he could. Chris could already imagine Wesker in the bathroom, smoothing his greasy hair back, and whispering something corny into the mirror.
"Daydreaming?" Jill's voice brought him back to reality. Joseph snickered, and Chris felt his skin burn. More than anything, he wanted to just go home, and sleep. It was late, but for the first time in a while the Bravo Team was out doing something. Probably with a new recruit, he figured.
"Sorry… anyone seen Wesker?" Chris asked, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Wesker? Probably in the bathroom fixing his hair again. He does that a lot." Barry chimed in, from his desk. Everyone except Wesker was present, as usual.
"Maybe he's with the chief? The RPD has been working round the clock to find out about these cannibal killers." Brad said. He had been so quiet, Chris had forgotten he was there.
"Probably…" Chris said absently. Though not as experienced as Barry, it was an unwritten rule that Chris was second in command. He had that natural air of a leader, and usually made it his business to motivate the others. Calm, and collected, even in the midst of a crisis, Chris Redfield, was no doubt an able, if not worthy leader.
Silently, Chris shook himself from his own thoughts about Jill and rose from his desk.
"Going to go look for him?" Barry asked, watching Chris carefully.
"Oh, uh, I was going to take a walk. Clear my mind a little." Chris said, heading for the door. Jill stood up as well.
"Wait, I'm coming too. The more I read those reports, the worse I feel about the whole ordeal." Jill said, coming up to Chris. He nodded silently and made his way out of the second floor office. For a while, they walked side by side in silence. Every so often, Chris would look over, but Jill never caught his gaze. They made their way to the library.
"Chris, I wanted to tell you something." Jill said, turning to face him in full. Her eyes were filled with worry, and Chris had that gushing feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Well, it's about Joseph. I don't know how to tell him, but I really like him."
The news came as a heavy blow to Chris, who fought off the urge to vomit. Revulsion, shame, anger, confusion--all of them Chris was taking the time to get reacquainted with. He swallowed hard, and locked eyes with her, tensing his jaw, and unconsciously making a fist.
"Oh really?" Chris finally said, letting his eyes wander away from hers. They settled on a bookcase behind her.
"Yeah, and I was wondering if you could tell me a little more about him. Guys talk to each other right? Does he talk about me when I'm not around?" Her eyes were pleading, Chris couldn't stand it.
"Sometimes. Mostly why you come in so late. He worries about you a lot." Chris added that last part offhandedly.
"...do you care?" That made him re-focus on her again.
"Do I care about what?"
"What I just told you. You don't care that I like Joseph or anything? You're not jealous?" Jill ventured further.
"Not really. I never considered you more than a friend." Chris lied, looking off to the side. Jill took his hands.
"Look at me." She said to him and he did.
"I am being--" It happened so fast, he didn't get a chance to even think about it before she broke away from the surprise kiss. He was left standing there, dumbstruck.
"I do, by the way." She said, watching his reaction with a smug look on her face.
"Do... what?" Chris finally managed to say, his skin reddening. She started walking past him, sauntering over to the door, to head back to the office, however. Chris watched as she retreated, paying most of his attention to her backside.
"Consider you more than just a friend." Jill said, looking over her shoulder, and waving at him. He paused for a second, before following after her, laughing as she led him back to the office.