A/N: I forgot to mention something in my previous chapter but this story is actually a prequel of my first story which titled "A Little Bit Longer", you can try to check it out once you are done reading this.
Both ladies sighed in relief as they put Chris on the bed. "I don't know about you Jill but I'm gonna raid his stash and find something to drink." Claire removed her ponytail and combed her hair with her fingers. "Join me?"
"So what if you won't find anything good to drink in the kitchen?" Jill replied as she stretched up her arms.
"Then I'll find something to eat." Jill lightly laughed at Claire's response. Clearly this Redfield never runs out of good ideas.
"I'll be there in a sec. I'll just change clothes."
"Oh, me too. See you in the kitchen." Claire exited the room as Jill took a seat at the edge of the bed.
Jill watched the man sleeping and found herself once again awed by how amazing he looks. She was too lazy to give him a change of clothes though, thinking that it's his fault for getting drunk. Besides, he'll probably wake up later once he gets too uncomfortable in his shirt and pants and change clothes himself. Jill stood up and started removing her clothes, only leaving her panties on, she rummaged through the drawers to find something to wear. Chris's apartment is not packed with her clothes yet so she settled wearing her black shorts and one of her man's white BSAA training t-shirt.
Jill placed a soft kiss on Chris's forehead before heading to the kitchen. Seems like little Redfield ditched the bra just like her. Claire is wearing a gray tank top and red pajama bottoms designed with Ice bear from We Bare Bears. Claire proudly raised the unopened bottle of vodka and smirked as she put it on the table before taking a seat.
"Do you think your brother will scold us once he finds out we took that?" Jill grabbed two glasses and set them down the table as she sat beside her.
"Nope. Your boyfriend prefers whiskey." Claire answered as she opened the bottle.
Jill was a little taken aback by how casually she referred to Chris as her boyfriend. It hasn't been that long since she and Chris finally admitted their feelings to each other but Claire seems to get a hang of it like she was waiting for it to happen a long time ago. Chris is well known to be the captain of this or that. As they say, his reputation precedes him. Admittedly, Jill's heart lightly fluttered in realization that he is her boyfriend now, not a well-known fact by many but still endearing to her ears when mentioned by someone.
"We are not even drinking yet but you're already blushing." Claire giggled as she poured the vodka to both of their glasses.
"I am not." Jill took a sip of her drink after Claire knocked her back to reality. "I swear, I'll have my turn to tease you about your love life someday."
Claire couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She meant everything she said during their ride back home. She is so happy about Chris and Jill finally ending up together and felt like it took an eternity to happen. She feels like she doesn't need anyone else and she knows she ain't changing her mind anytime soon, even if many are concerned because it really looks like she crossed out dating from her bucket list.
"Don't you wanna give Piers a chance? What about that guy at your work? His name was Neil?" Jill said, desperately trying to pry the center of the topic away from herself and Chris.
Claire only shook her head with an amused smile then drank the entire glass of alcohol.
"What about Leon? He saved you many times."
Claire raised an eyebrow then smirked. Time for her to give Jill the same long ass explanation she gave Sherry.
"Is this seat taken?" Leon looked up from his cup of espresso and was greeted by twinkling blue eyes. He never realized how much he missed her until he saw her again. It's been only months since they saw each other at Harvardville, it's not that long compared to years of being away from each other after the Raccoon City Incident. Still, he felt a sense of relief to see a familiar face. Someone who knew him as an innocent rookie cop and not a high profile Gov't agent. Claire is the closest thing he has as a friend and someone who fully understands him.
"Sit down. Join me." He replied with a small smile.
Claire placed her glazed donut and cup of cappuccino on the table before taking a seat. "Thank goodness, you finally said something else rather than "get down" as a greeting."
Leon couldn't hold back his laughter. He always adores her sense of humor. "Thankfully we finally met in a more normal circumstance." He watched her take a sip of her drink and start to eat. "How are you doing? Why are you in DC?"
"You know, normal field work I guess." She knows he is familiar with how it goes so she didn't want to elaborate more when it comes to complicated meetings at her job. "I just visited Sherry earlier. We went around this mall and bought stuff for her. She grew up so fast, such a strong lady now."
"You talk like you're her mother."
"It felt like I was. Until her puberty hits her then now we are sisters."
He laughed once again as he shook his head. He never expected his late afternoon to be more indulging. How glad he was that she arrived and now his mood is not that gloomy anymore. "You didn't buy stuff for yourself?" He asked after noticing that she doesn't carry any kind of shopping bag, only her own shoulder bag.
"She wanted me to buy something but I guess I just didn't see anything I like around this mall." She replied as she finished eating the donut and took another long sip of her drink.
"You should have told me you're gonna drop by, I could have drove you two here-"
"No, thanks. I have my bike." She quickly rebutted before he could finish. "Besides, you don't have a good history in driving when you are with me.
Running his hand through his hair, he scoffed before letting out a chuckle. "Do you have somewhere to go? We can still look around the place, see if you'll find something you like."
"I was actually planning to go home already after Sherry and I went our separate ways but I suddenly craved a Krispy Kreme. But I don't need to go home yet, we can still roam around."
"Alright, you can lead the way." He was about to stand up but she quickly asked a question.
"Aren't you gonna drink your coffee first?" She innocently asked. "You've been watching me munch my food the entire time. Why didn't you buy your own donut?"
He glanced down at his own drink, obviously a bit cold now. Probably would have forgotten about it if she didn't remind him. "I'm not hungry." He simply replied before drinking his espresso.
As they walked side by side, he remained silent as Claire talked about what Sherry and her discussed earlier. "I'm telling you. That Simmons sounds bad news, Sherry told me he is weird sometimes and seems like always on the edge" She halted. "Leon"
Stopping on his tracks and moving his gaze from the tiled floor to her, he frowned a bit at the sight of her worried expression. "What is it?"
"I'm not actually sure. Just please check on her more often."
"Sure, definitely." He rubbed his hand on her back, in an attempt to calm the atmosphere again before they resumed walking. He started recalling if he had been good to Sherry. Clearly he is no match to Claire's love and care for the young one, that's difficult to achieve. He knows Sherry is very lucky to have Claire. "Did she say something about me? All good I hope."
"You really wanna know?" She smiled mischievously at him before entering a small boutique, one she hasn't checked with Sherry earlier.
A bit unsure what to do next; he stopped on his tracks again, thinking if he should follow her into the clothing store or just wait by the entrance. He doesn't have much knowledge of what to do if he is with a girl who is shopping for clothes. It's not in his nature to take girls out, he takes them straight to a hotel or sometimes dinner before that. Only those who are willing.
"What are you doing there? Come over here. You don't have to wait there if you don't plan on buying anything." He awkwardly headed inside and stood behind her while she searched through the clothes on the rack.
"So what did she tell you about me?" Surely he is not the same tense and clueless cop back then. Years molded him to be someone who might almost be unrecognizable for her, not just the young lad who maximized his resources to help her reunite with her brother, not just a naïve rookie cop.
"You've changed but it's not bad, she knows she can still rely on you. Still thankful about what we did for her. That and . . you are quite popular among the ladies."
"Is that so?"
"The President's daughter seems like a talkative and cheerful person. She hangs out with Sherry sometimes." She takes out red leather jacket and holds it up, tilting her head while further inspecting the material.
Leon just scratched his head, suddenly regretting the topic he started.
"Leon." He gulped as his chest started pumping. Who knows what she thinks of him by now. "Sherry spilled the details of your 'overtime' with the President's daughter and It's not like I never assumed that you went 'diving' again with Angela from SRT. Am I right?" She puts the jacket back in the rack and looks at him.
Her mouth fell slightly open, amused by how he looked. "It's a joke, relax. There's nothing to it." She playfully smashed her knuckles to his chest as he let out a sigh then she resumed rummaging through the rack of clothes again.
There is no point of denying it. There are rumors spreading about how he slept with the president's daughter not long after their little trip to Spain. Truth be told, he was drunk and the girl practically threw herself at him. For Angela, it felt rushed for him. He went out with her once and it somehow ended in a hotel room because the lady surely isn't discreet when it comes to flirting with him.
"Don't you wanna buy that?" He checked the tag price of the jacket she picked earlier. It's not that pricey for him but he ain't sure if it's within her budget. "I can buy it for you as a reunion gift."
"Nah, I prefer a vest." She coyly smiled at him as she pulled out a red and black checkered shirt. "Check this one. Not bad, right?" She holds it up for him while checking the price tag.
"Now that suits you."
One staff member approached them and politely excused herself. "Excuse me, would you like to try it, ma'am? I'm sure your boyfriend would want to see you in it."
Claire and Leon both exchanged awkward glances. "We are not together." Claire quickly blurted out as Leon shook his head. The embarrassed staff quickly apologized. "But yes, I would like to try it on."
Claire made another pit stop at a small eyewear stall. "I should buy one for Chris as well while I'm here. Do you mind?" She asked as she raised the paper bag to him. He took it and gestured to her to check the sunglasses displayed.
"How is your brother doing?"
"He's dating his long-time partner."
"Really?" He chuckled as he watched her try on the glasses one by one, checking herself in the mirror.
"I'm kidding! But how I wish he will. He is such a wimp." She walked over to the other side to check on the aviators. "He and Jill will be investigating a mansion soon, they got a tip that it's connected with Umbrella." He just replied with a nod. "Can you come here for a moment, wear this and see if it will look good on Chris?"
He leaned his face a bit closer to her so she could wear the aviators on him. Claire however, was a bit surprised since she was expecting him to just grab it from her and wear it himself. Nonetheless, she puts it on him and he checks himself in the mirror.
"You helped us reunite back at Antarctica and now you are helping me buy a gift for him. How could I ever thank you?" They both chuckled at her remark.
They had to try two more other designs before Claire finally decided on which one she should buy. The seller even complimented them as he hands the paper bag to Claire. "You are lucky to have such a nice boyfriend." Claire gave a polite smile to the man as she took her stuff.
"We are not together." She grabbed the other paper bag from Leon before they awkwardly walked towards the parking lot.
"Going home already?" He asked her as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He wanted to insist on carrying the items for her but he doesn't want to make their situation more awkward. Doesn't want Claire to misunderstand his act of being a gentleman like other girls. But Claire isn't like other girls. "I can carry those for you, you know."
"I can carry it myself, you know." She wittingly replied as she pulled her keys out her pocket and entered the parking lot. "Did you drive here using a fancy car from the white house?"
"Motorcycle. Ducati. They don't usually entrust me with a four wheel vehicle."
"Wow! That's awesome. We should have a race sometimes. I bet I have a chance with my Harley."
"I guess some things never change for you."
"Yeah, but look. It's new and improved." She halted as they reached her bike, opening it's compartment and placing both bags inside before closing it again.
"I'll use my vacation leave for that race then."
"This is me. You?" He watched her hop on her bike and hold the helmet on her lap. Suddenly feeling upset that he'll be going back to the White House alone. He wanted to ask her to come with him and have dinner or watch a movie. Anything to prolong her presence with him.
"I miss you." He blurted out loud. "I just noticed I haven't told you that since we met." Of all the times he could have told her that, he chose to do it in a dark and noisy parking lot, he wants to knock himself in the head.
"I miss you too, Leon." There was something about her voice or the way that he says his name that's comforting for him. Maybe because it's not a cry for help or a command from his supervisor. He knows that if it's her who is calling him, he can be calm and just simply be himself, be allowed to make mistakes, he can rant, whine and complain. If only this day could happen more often. He sighed and ended up staring at her lips.
He never even noticed he was staring a bit too long as he leaned his face closer to her. Not until she leaned her face back and called out his name again.
"Leon."
Like a wake-up call. He leaned his face away. "I'm thankful you're still immune to my charms" Thankfully his voice also retained a normal tone instead of a panicked one. He gulped and tried to maintain composure. That wasn't supposed to happen, he was caught by the emotion and he should have known better than that. Especially since Claire is again, not just any girl. She is someone who has been important to him for a long time. Someone who has been with him through thick and thin, victories and defeat, theoretical hell.
"Believe it or not. I'm surprised as well. You are not difficult to love, Leon."
"Then why-?"
"We both know why." She looks down and unlocks the strap of her helmet. "You've set your sights on one girl since the day we met. It's not me. I wanna save myself from a heartache."
His heart almost melted as she softly smiled at him. Her eyes are clear from confusion or pain. It's unbelievable how she is not even pissed off at him for trying to make a move on her.
"It's not your responsibility to entertain all girls who fell for you. I love that we are friends. I know you care about me. That's enough. I don't want you to resort to me as your back-up option because you can't get the girl you love. Can't get her yet, that is."
He couldn't help but smile as well, at how true everything she said is. He has been really frustrated about how he knew Ada is alive since they saw each other in Spain but despite all his resources, he still doesn't know where she is. That regardless of how many months or years has passed, he still yearns to see her and be with her. That he still believes in her and loves her no matter how complicated their relationship might be.
Claire shoved the key in and turned on the engine just as Leon bashfully rubs his palm on his nape. "Take care, Leon. I hope to see you again."
He picks up the helmet and securely puts it on her. "Love to."
She pats his shoulders with a smile before driving away.
"You get what I mean? Do you think that's too much pride from me or high expectations?"
"No!" Jill composed herself after she noticed how her voice sounded a bit louder. "I mean, no. Honey, there's nothing wrong with what you did at all. Granted that it is sometimes annoying how you and your brother really can't take a hint sometimes." She chuckled a bit before drinking the rest of the vodka in her glass.
"I did like him but it faded away after I realized he has his eyes set on a different woman. No hate on that. I would like to actually support him and hell, help him sometimes. But never shall I be someone who is caught in the middle or be a last resort." She filled up both their glasses again.
"To not be someone's second choice." Jill said as she raised her glass. Both ladies made a toast and took a sip of their drink.
"Have you ever been like that?" Claire asked.
"Hmmm, I don't think so . . . " She tried to recall a similar situation and she remembered someone. "But you know, I think Raccoon City is cursed by cupid." It may be a long time ago but he was someone who saved her life too. Someone who risked life and limb despite meeting her just that very same day. If fate allowed them to meet in a different circumstance and had different lifestyles, she might have ended up with him rather than Chris.
"Tell me about it." Claire sighed as she took another gulp. Jill smiled and prepared herself to tell the story. She trusts Claire won't judge her story negatively and that she loves Chris whole-heartedly. It felt like they are two high school teenagers telling each other about their school crushes despite being in a committed relationship.
"His name is Carlos. Chris knows him and boy, did he look jealous after knowing what happened at Raccoon City."
Carlos lowered the window of the passenger's seat and smiled cheekily at the woman standing by the convenience store. "Hey, chica. Hope you didn't wait that long."
Jill smiled back and hopped in the pick-up truck, giving him a quick hug before strapping her seat belt on. "No. I didn't wait that long." Lie. She ended up arriving 15 minutes before their agreed schedule because she couldn't wait to go to the convenience store and meet him. It's been a few months since the Raccoon City outbreak and after hearing from Carlos that they are both in D.C., she asked if they could have a quick catch up before she meets up with Chris and Barry in a random hotel. "I miss you, Carlos. I hope it's not too inconvenient for you to drive me to the hotel."
"Nope, not at all." Lie. It would save him some time if he will directly take the highway but he doesn't mind the additional U-turn and gas consumption if he can spend a few hours again with Jill. "I miss you too and you promised to treat me too. I don't mind drive-thru as long as you'll pay." He grinned playfully before stepping on the gas pedal.
"Yeah, I'm actually buying food for everyone. You sure you don't want to come with me and meet Chris and Barry?" She knows he already met Barry when they left Raccoon City but she would like it very much if Carlos can be included in their plan to take down Umbrella.
"No, it's fine." He knows she also has some catching up to do with her fellow comrades apart from work related issues and doesn't want to be a nuisance. "I already met Barry. I feel like I already met Chris as well by how often you mention him in your emails."
"It was one helicopter ride with Barry." She grabbed and lightly shook his arm as he moved the gear stick. "And there's a difference between hearing about someone and actually meeting them in person."
He let out a small chuckle, loving how persistent and somehow childish she currently is. It feels like a new start for them. Another chance to get to know each other, spend time together, be at ease and enjoy the day. "Maybe next time. I assume that Chris found his sister already. That's why you fellas are plotting your master plan now?"
"Yeah, he was contacted by one of his sister's friends." She began explaining how Chris reunited with his sister and their plan to be a private anti biohazard service to bring down Umbrella.
He just listened intently while occasionally glancing at her and nodding in response as he drove. She was done telling her story by the time they reached a Burger King drive-thru. He pressed the brake and lined up behind a car.
"Just be careful okay? Give me updates during your free time. It would mean a lot to me if I know you're okay." He looked at her and their eyes locked. Not another second passed and she averted her eyes to the front.
"Yeah, I will. Just make sure you do the same." She replied while looking at the car in front of them.
He looked ahead as well before stepping on the gas, reaching the microphone stand. Lowering the window of his truck and gesturing to Jill to talk. There was a loud static as she finished telling her order.
"Do you think she got that?" She asked him with a small laugh. He repeated the order once again just to be sure that the staff got it correctly. "Did they get the nuggets? Don't forget the nuggets, it's Chris's favorite."
He leaned his head past the window just to get closer to the microphone. "Do you have the nuggets listed there, chica?" After the staff affirmed that they got all their orders, he stepped on the gas pedal again. He drummed his fingers while waiting for the staff to hand them their orders at the next window. "I'll eat mine right now if you don't mind. I'm starving."
"Why are you in a hurry anyway? What's keeping you busy?" She asked just as the staff handed them three paper bags. He grabbed it and handed it to her before closing the window and resumed driving on the highway.
"It's nothing big. What about you? What have you been up to? Not about work, something else like your hobbies, things you do during your free time."
"Uhm, I . . nothing big as well I guess." She answered while rummaging through the paper bags, making sure she got everything they needed. Pulling out the Flame grilled cheese burger for Carlos and his coke before placing the paper bags aside. "I practice piano sometimes. There are times I train with Chris and Barry, shooting range, sparring match or grappling match. You should join us sometimes. Have a match with me."
"I actually like that idea. You know, your arms and legs wrapped around me. Steamy." He pretended to wipe his sweaty forehead while lightly laughing. She unwraps the burger before giving it to Carlos. He gladly takes it to have a big bite.
"You shouldn't underestimate me though. I might plant your ass on the mat before you know it." She jokingly taunts him before holding the cup of coke in front of him. He shot a quick glance at her before returning to the road. He tried to hold back his smile, maintain his focus on driving and not the butterflies in his stomach. He takes a sip of his drink.
"I-I wouldn't." Clearly a bit taken aback by her thoughtful action. He knows what she is capable of. Technically speaking, they survived hell together and she is one of the toughest girls he has ever met. That's one of many things he admires about her. "I bet you can beat all the ladies against you."
"Not only that. I even made Chris tap out once." She wore a proud smile as she shared a short story to him once again.
He continued eating the burger with one hand while Jill held up the cup for him whenever he wanted a drink. If this is what they will be every time he is her designated driver then he wouldn't mind doing it again and again, even if it means listening to her talk about other guys and not him. He knows he doesn't have a chance, at least not yet. Right now he is simply grateful he got to spend time with her. They soon reached the hotel and Carlos crumpled the wrapper of the burger while chewing his last bite.
"This is me." She said with a low voice as she removed her seatbelt.
"Yeah, take care. If you need me to fetch you or drive you somewhere, I'll do my best to be there for you." He'll do his best to protect her if he can. Give her what she wants and make her happy. It's funny how he knows he is good at flirting with tons of other girls but he gets all rusty when he is with Jill Valentine.
"You too, Carlos. Hope to see you soon." She said as she turned to him, somehow waiting if he had something else to say.
He doesn't. He did however, reached for her head to lightly pull her closer to him and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Her breath hitched and she felt her heart beat a bit faster. She took the kiss as a goodbye gesture and she just smiled at him before exiting the vehicle. She watched the truck drive further away while holding the bag of food in her arms. She wanted to say thank you a million times. She wanted him to stay with her longer. For someone who put his life on the line for her, the least she could do is to ask him what she can do for him. But he never asks anything from her, it's always him who is doing something for her and she is starting to feel guilty about it. She wonders why this man has been making a lot of sacrifices and giving too much effort for her.
"Can I call?"
Carlos stood up from his seat and moved away from his computer to check himself in the small mirror attached to his cabinet. It was really late at night and he wasn't expecting Jill to send him a chat via Yahoo messenger. He hurriedly sat down again to send a reply.
"Sure. No problem. I'll just set up my headset and camera."
Truthfully speaking, it's already set and he just wanted more time to prepare himself and look presentable. He dusted off the front of his white tank top just to make sure there weren't any bread crumbs left and combed his hair before calling her.
A window popped up and showed Jill in wearing a cute pair of blue pajamas. It seems like she was ready for bed, fresh out of the bathroom after washing her face and brushing her teeth, wearing her favorite pair of sleeping attire. Adjusting her laptop balanced on her lap to change the angle of the camera for him to see her bare face clearer. His lips formed a smile. His heartbeat accelerated. He watched her wear earphones, waved her hand at him and he waved his hand as well. He saw her cover her lips with her fingers, looking like she was trying not to laugh. He couldn't help but smile wider and let out a small laugh. It's been years since they saw each other in person. Apart from emails, they don't get to talk real time often.
If it wasn't for her tapping her earphones with her finger, signaling Carlos to wear his as well, he would have just stared at her the entire night and smiled at the very sight of her. Despite the slight embarrassment of his delayed reaction, he wore his headset and adjusted the mouthpiece near his mouth.
"Is it fine? Can you see and hear me clearly?" Her voice echoing in his ears felt wonderful.
"Yeah, I missed you." He outright told her like a reflex. He cleared his throat and tried to sound more neutral. "I'm glad you are safe. How are you? Is something wrong?"
"I'm doing fine. I miss you too. It's been a long time." She answered. From his observation, she looks like she is doing something else while they talk, judging by the fact that she doesn't usually look straight at the camera and is more focused on her laptop screen. Occasionally, typing something not for him since he is not receiving any messages. "I'm just replying to some emails. Work stuff."
"I'm glad I'm missed by you. Do you need me to drive you somewhere? Fly somewhere?"
She smiled as rolls her eyes. "I'm actually gonna fly somewhere. Russia." She sounds like she is not going for a vacation. It only means that it is something work related and can be dangerous if she needs to fly that far.
He took a deep breath before asking. "Why? What is it for?" He didn't want to sound like he doesn't trust her that she can handle himself but he is worried. He was thankful his hands curling up to a fist can't be seen by the webcam.
"The usual work stuff. Don't worry about it. Chris is going with me next week. We'll be fine." Not spilling any details to keep the mission confidential, she flashed him a confident smile for reassurance.
He smiled back in an attempt to confuse his own emotion to hold back his tears. "It's good to know you have back-up." But he wished it could be him instead. He can protect her as well and he proved it in the past. He doesn't regret taking a risk and never got his hopes up. He knows what he is getting himself into. He never made a move on her because he knows he can be with her longer as friends rather than confess when he knows it's not the right time. Unfortunately, he doesn't know if there ever will be a right time and he is clearly aware he has too little chance on her.
"I'll give you an update once it's done. And I'm really positive it will be good." She showed two thumbs up and he raised his own as well. "Let's meet and have a drink once I'm back."
He wanted to reject her offer. He wanted to avoid her so that it could be easier for him to set his feelings aside. "Sure, just send me the date, time and place. I'll be there for you." But he wants to be there for her as well. Be right by her. Do his best for her.
"Great. I just called to inform you where I'm going. Do you have anything to tell me?" She fixed her eyes on the camera, looking at him, waiting for him to say something.
"I . . " He stared at her. He smiled once again. "I want tequila on that day. Make sure it's available once we meet again."
"Okay, got it. I'm sorry if I called you this late." He shook his head not believing how she was apologizing. He loves these short chats. Regardless if it's just a chat or video call. He doesn't mind if she is gonna talk about what she did during Thanksgiving or Christmas, what her New Year's resolution is, who among her new teammates she is most pissed about, anything. He loves it. Every minute of it, every minute he has with her.
"No, it's fine. But if you need to get some rest, prepare your stuff and get ready for your flight, do so." He doesn't mind if he just woke up or seconds away from going to sleep. He always made adjustments for her.
"Yeah, I actually do. See you soon, ok?"
"Sure. Goodnight." She replied with a goodnight as well before the call ended. He removed his headset and shut down his computer. "I love you."
Carlos lost count on how many times he checked his watch from the moment he arrived at the bar. He contemplated whether he should leave one, two or all three unbuttons of his black long sleeves shirt undone, testing and trying all variations until he settled with opening just one. He already ordered a bottle of tequila for himself, not that he wants to get drunk. He just wants his nerves to settle before she comes.
From the bar stool, he saw the door open and he felt like he forgot to breathe for a second or two after seeing Jill, looking so gorgeous wearing tight black pants and an off shoulder blue blouse. He mentally cursed at the other boys in the bar who ogled at her exposed shoulder and collarbone. He didn't mean to stare as well but she was just captivating.
"Too much?" She asked as she took a seat next to him at the bar and set the black leather jacket she's holding on her lap.
He grinned while shaking his head, still staring at her, like memorizing every detail. She curled the ends of her hair because it's a bit longer. Her lips are more red than usual. That's it but he adores it like it's his last time seeing it. "You're perfect."
"I see you have already started without me." She said before calling the bartender.
Carlos finally re-circuited his brain and tore his gaze away from her. "My treat then. It's about time. Order anything you want."
"What would you recommend?" She asked while scanning the menu.
"I don't know. Piña colada?" He abruptly replied, making Jill scrunch her face at him. He chuckled and figured it might be too sweet for her taste. By this time, he is not sure if it was his drink that's making his heart palpitate. "Frozen Margarita then?"
"That sounds perfect. One please." She ordered from the bartender and returned the menu.
"Apart from celebrating your successful mission in Russia, why are we here?" He asked her before gulping the glass of tequila.
"It's been years since we last saw each other in person. Don't you wanna see me?" She joked and even faked a pained expression that made him panic for a moment. "Just relax. I already went out with Barry and Chris last week so I wanted to spend time with you as well."
He didn't want to sound uninterested; he badly wanted to see her, talk to her, hold her and even kiss her. The thing is every time they get to talk or spend time with each other, he goes back to square one. He didn't want to hold on to the hope of them being together. He reminded himself that he is doing this because it makes her happy and not because he wants her to love him too. "How'd your mission go? How fun was the after party?"
He drank glass after another while she sipped on her drink of choice and talked about how she and Chris infiltrated a huge enemy base in Russia and the simple night out with her teammates. She even scolded him for not attending it. He apologized for what felt like the tenth time.
"So what's your next plan? Any out of town vacation soon?" He asked by the time he drank half of the bottle.
Jill asked for another shot glass and decided to share the bottle of tequila with him after she finished her drink. She also asked for the bill and handed it to Carlos, taking matters into her own hands so that he can't order anything anymore. She didn't order him anything else because she knows he is driving. "Chris and I are somehow planning this kind of organization and against bio-organic weapons. We still have a long way to go but we are positive it will still turn out good. We could use your help. You should join us."
He paid the bill before filling up each of their glasses as he listens to her share her ideas, trying to convince him to join them. He'd gladly join without blinking but he knows it's not a good idea. There are certain limits on how a person can handle something. He tried to convince himself that it was just an infatuation, caught in the moment of bliss and his feelings will soon fade away. He admitted he was attracted to her since they met during the Raccoon City outbreak and it was supposed to be just a mere attraction only. But despite not being with each other often, he didn't notice he started falling and it was too late when he realized what he was feeling.
"I'm sorry, Jill. I just can't join. You already have a great team though. I think you don't need me anymore."
"But how am I supposed to pay you or save your ass if you won't be joining me and Chris? You can be an advisor instead, like Barry."
"You love him, don't you? This Chris guy." He blurted the question out of the blue and her expression abruptly changed, like a mouse caught stealing cheese from the trap.
"W-what are you talking about?" She innocently answered. Chris is her partner and a close friend. She can't address him as someone she loves romantically, she just can't. It would make things complicated between them.
"It's ok, chica. I didn't mean to pry. I just feel it, you know. The way you talk about him, remember things about him. I don't know, I just see it in your eyes. It speaks volumes." Trying his best to ignore the pain in his chest, he gulped and continued. "Does he love you too?"
"I don't know what you are talking about. Me and Chris- . . .it's not possible" She firmly denied before taking a drink, so did he.
"Why not?"
"I don't know. When can you know that you already fell in love with someone? When can you know that someone fell in love with you?"
"I love you, Jill." He said as quietly as possible but enough for her to hear it. "I don't know when, I don't know where, I don't know how. I just know I do love you. But I can't have you if you are already in love with someone else."
She watched him stare at the bottle on the table. An unsettling feeling engulfed her, thinking that he might feel like she took him for granted, not appreciated enough. She likes Carlos, that's the truth but he is right. He imposed something she feared to admit herself. She loves Chris but neither he nor her wants to cross any boundaries. Chris and her got used to the familiarity and comfortability they both built throughout the years, they might have had a chance back then but their life took a hard turn and both are on the rough side of the road.
"It's ok, Jill. It's not your fault that you didn't know I love you." Standing up from his stool, he wrapped his arms around her.
Tears started swelling up her eyes but she made a mental note to herself that she can't cry. "Carlos, I'm so sorry." She raised up her arms and tightly hugged him as well.
Her apology can be considered as a confirmation that she does indeed have feelings for Chris, also a rejection for Carlos. He lightly patted her head while still holding her in his arms. "I was never the one you needed to catch you, just someone who needed to knock some sense to you."
She wanted Carlos to stay, hold her while she cries but she doesn't want to be selfish. She didn't want to put his hopes up, he deserves better than that. "Thank you but I can't promise what will happen next."
"I know. I know." He broke away from the hug and held her shoulders to have a look at her. Still fierce and brave just like when they first met, he knows she can handle almost everything. But for him, he can't. He wants to have some peace of mind and not to have a continuous heartache from time to time. "I think you know what you have been doing since then. That's why I think you don't need me anymore."
That's when she realized he wasn't just talking about a simple career path. It's getting harder for her to hold back her tears but she still managed to give him a firm nod. She knows he deserves someone better and not just her fallback.
He cracked a sad smile and leaned his face closer to her. His hand held the side of her cheek as he pressed his lips to hers. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss, only for a short while. He was the one who moved away and stared at her one last time before walking away.
Claire made a toast after Jill finished her story. "To not using someone as a second choice." Jill raised her glass as well and clinked their glasses together before drinking. "But do you mind me asking why you still didn't end up with Chris after that?" She asked as she rested her face on her hand and elbow on the table.
"Uhm, Let's see. I wanted him to focus on his goal first which is to gain weight but when he reached it, apparently more ladies started chasing his tail so I got pissed off and pitched to our supervisors to explore changing partners."
Jill bowed her head in embarrassment as Claire rolled her eyes. "You two are so stupid. You need so many people to knock some common sense into your brains."
They both laughed about it. "Again, we also didn't want to cross any boundaries and make things difficult"
Claire just shrugged and checked the clock. It's way past midnight. "Do you want to do each other's nails?" She got a scoff as a reply. "I'll change your hair color if you do my nails."
It sounded too tempting for Jill but despite how excited she is, she knows to herself that she can never paint Claire's nails by the state she is in, head feeling buzzy. "I might end up chopping your nails if we do it now. Tomorrow. We can drop by the mall by morning."
"If you will wake up in the morning." She teased Jill before stretching her arms up. "I'll be going to sleep now then."
"Alright, I'll be heading to bed as well after I check on your brother." Jill hoped she didn't blush too much. Chris does tend to doze off longer than usual when she is beside him.
"Just don't be too loud please." Claire teased again before heading over to her bedroom but stopped again after taking a few steps. "Also, I really think you two crossed the lines one way or another, a long time ago, without knowing it."
A/N: I hope this one wasn't too long for y'all. I hope I didn't made anyone upset with the Claire and Leon or Jill and Carlos flashbacks. It was really frustrating to write this one because I had to undergo the same emotions as a my characters. Anyway, please wait for my next update. It's gonna be the last chapter.