The dark-haired man yawned, stretching his arms and putting his brown leather, government-issued jacket on the nearest chair. Taking close note of the possible entrances and exits to the bar, and its clientele, Leon S. Kennedy closed his eyes and slumped back, letting his frozen muscles relax for seemingly the first time in ages. Only several hours ago had he finished his debriefing from his trip to Spain. A trip that seemed to have raised more questions than answers for him and the other surviving members of S.T.A.R.S.
What did Wesker possibly want with that sample of Las Plagas? Wondered Leon. And what the hell is Ada doing working with that scumbag?
Which is what it truly came down to for Leon. Seeing the woman he cared for since the Raccoon City incident, and ascertaining that she was actually working for Wesker.
"Ada…so it is true".
"True? What's true?" Ada Wong replied flippantly, with seductive undertones.
"You. Working with Wesker". Bit back Leon, letting disappointment and hurt flit across his feature.
Leon opened his eyes again, a sigh escaping his lips. Making a headrest out of his fist, he pondered these thoughts, deciding it would be easier to drown the rest of the night in scotch. It wasn't as if he would be driving, anyway—it was snowing, and as a former cop he knew the consequences of drunk driving.
However, it seemed that no amount of scotch could erase a scene from his head: Ada admitting that she had fallen in love with him, right before she died. It tore at him that now it seemed she really had become "the bitch in the red dress". Not a single mention of him, or even a single motion hinting that she meant anything she had said to him during their time in Raccoon City.
"No, Ada, you've got to hold on!"
"Just go, Leon…I'm just a woman…who fell in love with you…"
"Ada! Ada!"
And even so, he had still loved her, even if it doomed him for all eternity.
"Story of my life…" he chuckled half-pityingly. It was as if he would always be the naïve, innocent rookie cop at heart; he could have had Ashley in the palms of his hand when she asked if he could work "overtime"…but because of his damned morals, he was stuck single and alone.
And, he realized, it was almost Christmas. A holiday he had not had the time to celebrate for the last several years, and to add insult to injury, a holiday he was sure to end up spending alone.
After years of fighting zombies and the undead, you'd think I could be cut a break for once.
Leon Kennedy, dejected, mildly drunk, and decidedly depressed, threw down money to pay for his drinks, and stumbled out the door, leaving his leather jacket behind and missing the beautiful and seductive Asian woman in the corner, her red dress covered in shadow, and a troubled look on her face.
It's so weird, thought Leon, stumbling slightly and smirking to himself. Having such normalcy for now. Slowing down, he turned to look into the shop windows, stuffing his hands into his pockets. One shop in particular caught his attention—a jewelry shop with several customers inside, with one man acting rather oddly. Leon stopped, deciding it would be better just to keep an eyes on him for the next few moments…but what he saw next stunned him, yet explained the mans odd actions.
He was getting on his knee to propose to what was apparently his girlfriend next to him.
Leon smiled, the scene of happiness bringing a slight sparkle of tears in the back of his eyes, something he had not done in ages. If for nothing else, the extended break given to him by the President granted him this small but priceless luxury, since it seemed as if it would be something he would never experience himself. Starting out of his reverie, he turned and continued the walk to his villa. It amazed him how much just a day of normalcy made the problems of Umbrella and Wesker seem so very far away.
He continued to walk, enjoying the feel of the crunch of the snow beneath his combat boots and the simplicity of it all. It was if the lights and decorations lifted an enormous weight off of his shoulders, making him feel like the youthful rookie officer rather than the seasoned government agent.
Maybe I can do my part to spread some cheer…mused Leon with a small grin on his face, as he grabbed one of the forms by the nearby mall entrance.
Imagine that. Leon Scott Kennedy. A Santa.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Shortly after Ada delivered the fake sample to Wesker, and the proper Las Plagas sample to her associates, she decided, for reasons unbeknownst even to her, that she owed Leon an explanation for everything that occurred. He was undoubtedly stinging from what he perceived as her betrayal, especially after seeing her for the first time in 6 years. And the disappointment she saw flitting through his features at almost all of their encounters, she felt the need to set things right.
Ada slipped into the bar, "King's Pub" shortly after Leon did. His head was down, and she was quite certain he didn't notice her. After all, her dress was still covered up by her heavy jacket.
Damn weather.
It wasn't like she was a winter-weather person anyways.
She took a seat in the corner, in the shadows and away from general attention. Letting her eyes wander, she found them straying over Kennedy more often than she'd have liked.
The rookie cop. The one who had taken a bullet for her, cared for her even despite her treachery, and whom she had openly admitting to loving before her demise at the hands of the Tyrant.
Uncharacteristically, Ada let her mind wander in a similar manner, snapping back to attention after a short while. As a spy, that mistake probably would have cost her life in most circumstances.
But what bothered her was how alone Leon seemed.
And I really didn't peg Kennedy as the alcoholic…she mused. Kennedy, the Boy Scout? Spain must have rattled him more than she thought—he'd had more scotch than a typical "kick-back-and-relax", drink.
Not that she'd know how much Kennedy typically drank, of course. But she could tell when he left his favorite, government-issued leather jacket behind. Worried expression creeping over her face, she watched him go out the door, swearing that his eyes flicked over to her spot in the corner as he dragged himself out.
Damn it. It was those eyes. The same ones that had threatened to drown hers in a whirling blue of disappointment when she told him to hand over the G-Virus sample. That had caused her to start second-guessing her feelings, and, for one moment, considered aborting her mission right then and there and running away with Leon.
Ada decided to follow, first walking over and picking up his jacket, and slinking out the door quietly.
Tailing Leon had been almost unbearable for Ada, the former spy, able to guess at what he was staring at in a majority of the shops. Half-window shopping brought back memories of her little self, leaving her feeling slightly more vulnerable than she would have liked. She knew that it would be hard to forget the despondent look on Kennedy's face when he saw the couple getting engaged.
Maybe it is true what they say, thought Ada, this season brings out things in you that wouldn't happen otherwise. As she walked, she came to a slow stop, glancing at the posted forms that he had torn a sheet from, and scoffed slightly to her self, a small smirk on her face.
It wasn't long before Ada came upon the back of a fumbling Leon Kennedy, patting himself down for the keys to his villa.
"So, Santa baby," she purred seductively, seeing him pause and straighten in shock. "Do you need a little helper this year?"
&&&&&&&&&&&
At the sound of a voice Leon knew so well, he froze, almost unable to believe his ears, but certain that the scotch was not causing him to hallucinate. Sighing, he turned around, the sight of her almost causing him to sag with disappointment.
"Ada. What do you want from me this time?" He asked, not even sure he wanted to hear the answer. It must have been a look in his face, or his tone, that caused her to falter slightly. Not greatly, but enough that an elite cop like Leon could pick up on it.
"Nothing, handsome…" she replied coyly, flashing a flirtatious grin at him. "Except to spend some time with you."
"Right." Chuckled Leon,still slightly startled.
"So hard to believe?"
"Well, the track record isn't exactly great with you sticking around with me".
"Kenn—Leon," she said, catching herself, "Please".
Almost a hundred percent certain he would regret this later, Leon agreed, with Ada responding by handing him his jacket and whispering to him "An early Christmas present", sending shivers down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
As Leon held the door open for her, presumably being a gentleman (or not trusting to have his back to her), she was enveloped by his scent of clean soap, one that she had come to associate with him over the years.
"So…" asked the voice behind her, and she turned around, sizing up Leon's stormy blue eyes. In all honesty, she was surprised to see them like that; it usually was how he looked when he dealt with her rejections.
He was never very good at hiding it, anyway.
"Yes?" she answered again with that same innocence to her tone.
"Drop it, Ada". Said Leon, collapsing on the couch across from her. "Whatever act you have on. I'm not interested in it anymore." That was more straightforward than Ada had been expecting, even from Leon.
"Well, what are you interested in?" She inquired, though she was already attracted to the fact that Leon hadn't been like most men and tried to pounce on her.
"You know. The truth." She felt the intensity of his gaze drowning her once again, and she felt the surfacing of the emotions that she had tried to bury deep down since they made their appearance during her first partnership with Leon.
"I—I…"she stuttered, paused, and completely broke down for the first time as long as she could remember, throwing herself into a stunned Leon's arms and sobbing, the emotions she had repressed for the last eight years finally bubbling to the top. It was during this time she tried to explain everything to Leon, all about her organization—that she wasn't really working for Wesker, how she had wanted to leave with him that night in Raccoon City…though he might not have understood her incoherent babbling. Leon took to stroking her hair, completely at a loss for words, doing his best to whisper sweet nothings in her ear to make her feel better.
After a while, her outburst subsided. Wiping her eyes, and starting to regain her fearless composure again, she apologized, "for acting like an 11 year old girl".
"Actually, I thought it'd be nice for a change if you didn't close yourself off again," murmured Leon softly. "And I forgive you". Ada looked at him, looking in his eyes, and touching the tops of his arms lightly, feeling the same electric touch she felt those years ago and the warmth spreading throughout her body.
"For what?" she whispered, the inner voice that was cursing her actions falling silent.
"Everything."
Their lips collided, an electric feeling that left both of them breathless after only a short while. And Leon seemed like an excellent kisser: every kiss seemed to cause her to want more and more. The soft trace of his thumbs on her sides, how she drew herself so close to him…it was all heavenly torture to her.
It was Leon who broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers, seeming years younger and like the rookie cop she had first met.
"Merry Christmas, Leon."
"Actually, since you're off anyone's map for now, maybe you could stay till then?" Ada smiled seductively.
"Will Santa need his helper after all? Or his Mrs. Claus?"
"Yeah, though you might need to wear something less revealing. I know how you dress." Said Leon, eyebrow quirked slightly.
"Agent Kennedy, who said anything about that? That'll be for your eyes only…" And she grinned at the deep blush covering his cheeks.
Maybe she could get used to Winter's touch, after all.
(A/N:Well, I hope you guys liked my first foray into Resident Evil fanfiction! I loved the characters of Ada and Leon, and I hope I had them mostly in character, or how I felt they would feel during the winter season—after all, it brings out the best in people! Well, read and review please!!)