Boundless Abyss:

III.

Wildflowers


Less than eighteen hours later, Jill was once more with Quint in a conference room playing with the Omega. He was surrounded by agents from US STRATCOM trying to get their fill on the newest toy. They'd shoot the scanner at each other, laugh, and aim it around the room.

One pasted a map of the city on the wall. Another threw up a diagram of a licker. It broke the licker down from physical to composition to battle techniques. Jill was watching a small training video stored in the Omega pertaining to plagas when the soft dark shifted and she was no longer standing alone.

Leon stood beside her, looking no worse for wear, besides a bandaged cut on his left cheek.

Jill remarked, "Nice to see you again, Mr. Kennedy."

She aimed the Omega at him. It beeped happily. He was unharmed and hungry as usual. Was he ever not hungry?

Leon look at her as she studied the machine, and he simply said, "We should get dinner, Jill."

She turned her eyes to him with a raise of brows. "Now?"

"Sure," he shrugged a little, "why not? No bad guys. No blood. No monsters waiting for us to kill. No conspiracies. Just you, me, and bottle of wine with some pasta."

Jill tilted her head, "Or beers and burgers?"

He laughed, "Why not? Ladies choice. Get dinner with me, Jill. Say yes."

How many times had he asked her? Too many. It was an easy answer. Finally.

"Yes," She smiled, and he smiled, and it was just...good. Just good. And that was a rare thing.

"Besides," she added with a grin, "you're hungry. The Omega told me so."

He laughed as they headed toward the doors to the outside, "I'm always hungry, gorgeous."

"Well, we better feed you."

They found a cafe to have dinner. They sat. They ate. They shared an appetizer.

And they just talked.

It started out as work. It became a discussion of things that seemed so silly and trivial. They talked about cats, dogs, and the weather. Jill had two cats, and Leon's daughter wanted a dog, but it was all about finding the right one.

They discussed their favorite foods. She boasted she could make the best chili he'd ever eaten. He claimed she didn't know good food until she had his spicy curry.

He talked about his daughter and taking her to dance class. When she'd been so nervous, he'd gotten on the long bar in class and did squats with the other girls there to make her more comfortable. She'd giggled and said he'd needed tights.

When he talked about his daughter, he sparkled. There was no other word for it. He just lit up. Everything about him was like looking at the sun on a summer day.

He didn't fight her for the check when it came time to pay. He just let her pay it. And then they took a walk downtown.

She let him buy the popcorn from a street vendor and the coffee. When they reached an open-air market, they walked through and considered fruits and veggies from local sellers. Jill wrinkled her nose at the stinky cheeses, and Leon lifted two cantaloupes aloft and declared, "Quint would like these."

She laughed as he simulated boobs with them.

He bought her grapes. She bought him a corndog. He confessed, "Fried food is my mortal enemy."

Face droll, Jill answered, "You don't have a lick of fat on you. Tell me again how you eat fried food."

"I do, Jill," he lamented sadly, "but not nearly enough. Oh, KFC...why do you taste so good?"

Jill laughed and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm as they walked. As the evening wore on, he got goosebumps on his arms, and she offered, "You want my jacket, tough guy?"

He studied her and decided, "It might not fit."

She grinned. She took it off and offered it anyway. He shrugged and tried to put it on, and looked ridiculous. Someone walking by just laughed at him in a jacket four sizes too small. Leon, feigning offense, called, "Hey buddy, a girl offers you her jacket; you take it."

And the man called back, "If you say so, dude. Better be happy being the guy who goes home with the jacket...and not the girl who was wearing it."

Twinkling with amusement, Leon gasped, "How dare he! He doesn't understand chivalry."

In her lavender camisole, Jill paused outside of her hotel. He joined her, looking so adorable in her too-small jacket that she couldn't be anything but charmed by him.

"I had a nice time," she declared with a smile, "even if you're a cheap date."

He grinned. He slid off the jacket. She tucked it back over her arm as Leon chuckled, "You paid for dinner. You want me to put out?"

Yes.

She grinned back, "Tease."

He laughed. "Was I teasing?"

Jill shook her head. She backed up two paces and replied, "It was good to see you, Leon."

"You wanna see more of me?"

Yes.

Jill sparkled as she stated, "...yes."

And had him laughing again. He watched her head into her hotel and called, "Should I follow?"

To which she just laughed, "I'm not easy. You want me, come and earn me."

He sighed as she entered the lobby. He wanted to follow. He didn't because the timing wasn't quite right, but he wanted to. And maybe that was part of the package here. You dated first. You made out. You got to know each other.

Then you fucked.

A change in the wind for him, no doubt, but one he was eager to explore. To cover his bases, he opened his phone and made a call.

Twenty minutes later, Jill opened her door to a man holding a bouquet of wildflowers. The guy handed them to her and left without a word. She clutched the pretty vase with the wild blossoms and shook her head, eyes twinkling. He didn't do roses. He did wildflowers. A hodgepodge of mismatched blooms with more color than any red rose would ever have.

He'd put them in her hospital room in Alaska. He sent them now to remind her how unpredictable and yet reliable he could be. It was clever. It was charming. And it was very, very him.

The note simply said: Sorry for the cheap date. Thanks for the jacket. Next ones on me. You can be too if you want. Just sayin. -L.

And she looked out over the night sky and smiled.

She might not be easy, she thought, but she was simple.

And it appeared the genius brain of his knew it too.


The knock on his room door had Leon rising from his desk and moving toward it. He kept his gun ready in his left hand as he looked through the peephole, body to the side, hand on the knob. Out of the line of fire.

But it wasn't a threat waiting. Not really. Not exactly.

He opened the door with a twitch of lips to find Jill Valentine waiting in a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He leaned on the frame, gun no longer ready and loose in his hand, and met her eyes. The little gold glasses perched on his nose elevated his gorgeous face from bad-boy rockstar to approachable. His hair was wet, pushed off his face, and peeled back, reminding you that the picture under all that flair didn't need the frame to make it beautiful.

Jill glanced at the gun and back at his face as she teased, "Gonna shoot me for knocking? Do the bad guys usually knock?"

His mouth twitched again, "You don't usually bother. Couldn't pick the lock?"

Her eyes flickered with humor, "This is a social call. Usually, you knock first."

He finally grinned, "What brings you to my doorstep, Ms. Valentine?"

"I forgot something," she stated with a tilt of her head, "or maybe you did."

"Did you?" He tilted his head where he leaned, "Or did I?"

"Hmm," Jill encroached on his personal space. He let her, and she watched those eyes of his swirl like the ocean as she admonished, "It's customary to kiss a girl goodnight at the end of a good date, Kennedy."

He let his eyes flick to her mouth as he murmured, "Yeah? I don't date a lot. So, I'm gonna take your word for it."

"Yeah," she hooked a hand into his gray t-shirt at the chest and tugged him a little down to her, "kiss me goodnight, Leon."

His tongue ran over his teeth as he grinned wolfishly at the command, "...as m'lady wishes."

He leaned down, their lips brushed, and they kept their eyes open to watch each other. Soft. Smooth. He let her lead the charge with her signals. She didn't grope or grab him. She just laid one on him.

Leon gruffed when she went off tiptoe back to her feet and let go of his shirt, "You always kiss guys after a cheap date?"

Her eyes twinkled, "Only the ones I want to fuck."

Lord.

She threw his words back at him and had the humor surging between them as that wolfish smile of his crinkled his eyes besides those adorable glasses, "Goddamn, you flirt like a man, Jill Valentine."

She chuckled. Her eyes flicked over his face, "I like the glasses, Kennedy. They look good on your face."

"Hmm," he tilted his head against the door frame, "you would too."

And now she burst with laughter that made him feel it too. "That was...very dirty, good sir."

"Do I lose good guy points for it?"

Jill backed down the hallway and sighed, "No...I like dirty."

He chuckled, "Yeah? Let's go play in the mud."

Her eyes kept on sparkling as she teased, "Something to look forward to, I think. Goodnight, Leon."

"Goodnight, Jill. Thanks for stopping by. Come sit on my face next time."

Her laughter made him grin as she stated, "My god you are terrible at this."

Leon feigned offense, "Look who's talking. Your flirting is wretched, Valentine."

"Is it?" Jill tapped a finger to her lips, "You only have two speeds, Kennedy - sex or celibate."

He winced. "More the latter lately, I think."

Her eyes twinkled. "Hmm. Maybe because you suck at flirting."

"Ouch," he pressed a hand to his chest, "I'm good at going down though. Come inside, and I'll show you."

Jill slapped a hand over his mouth and stated, "Pervert. You talk that way to all the girls?"

When her hand slid away, he returned with a grin, "Just the ones I want to fuck."

Jill rolled her eyes as he snatched her hand and kissed the back of it, declaring, "M'lady. Good evening."

Goddamn, he was charming in a completely non-charming way. It was almost ridiculous. Jill moved down the hallway and called, "Don't wait three days to call me, Kennedy. I mean it."

"Does it count if I call you and hang up because I'm nervous? I get nervous, Jill. Girls make me nervous."

"You're an idiot," she teased and had him chuckling.

"Do you like that in a man? I can be dumber, I promise..." he hesitated and queried, "More dumb? What's the right usage there?"

She was laughing as the elevator doors sealed her away. He kept on leaning in the door. And he knew he was gonna see where this went. He liked her. He wanted her. He wanted to see what it meant.

And that meant he had to woo her. He wasn't entirely sure how you wooed a woman like Jill Valentine. But he was gonna figure it out. Because there was, literally, nothing he couldn't do when he put his mind to it.

Something inside him said - just take her. He considered that as he returned to his room and his work. Take her. She wanted him. She would say yes. He had no doubt. He could go take her and make her his.

But what brought on the urge to do so? He wasn't a possessive man by nature. Hell, the sheer scope of his life didn't offer much room for taking and keeping a woman. So what was it that made him want to do it with her?

Lust, sure, but what else? Something. He couldn't find the answer. But the whisper in his, which he wasn't entirely sure was his own, returned, "Power takes. Cowards wait."

He was going to go after her. There was no doubt about that. But...maybe he was a coward as well because he was going to wait for her to be ready too.

That's just who he was.


Things were never quite as interesting as when you were being pursued by The Executioner.

Wildflowers showed up wherever she was once a week. She was never beyond his reach, it seemed. She finished a mission and found them waiting at the hotel for her. She found them in her hospital room when she was wounded. Apparently, he was very good at his job as he knew where his agents were.

Occasionally, Jill's phone would ring late at night. She'd answer, mouth twitching, and he'd breathe heavily like a pervert and make her laugh.

Sometimes they talked, sometimes they didn't. Sometimes, they kept the line open for a moment just to listen. She'd called him from Kevin's phone one day at lunch just to hear him say hello.

"Kennedy."

She waited, breathing. She leaned on the wall, listening. That voice's deep, gravelly tone was so far away from the flirty guy on the beach he'd been.

He said, "Ryman? Everything ok?"

She waited.

"Kev? Are you there?"

She breathed, leaning on the wall. She could hear the sounds of laughter and people around him. Someone was calling his name. He was very quiet now. Finally, he guessed softly, "Jill?"

She caught her breath.

He said, "It's a little perverted to call a guy's phone and just breathe. At least talk dirty to me."

She couldn't help it. She laughed. She laughed and hung up.

She was finishing a run when her phone rang one morning. She raised a brow at the unknown number and answered, "Yeah?"

"What's the exchange rate for Lira?"

His voice made her smile as her heart raced still from her run. She leaned on the wall and smiled, "Are you in Turkey, Mr. Kennedy?"

"I'm somewhere. You like kabobs?"

Jill laughed a little, "Is that a sex joke?"

She heard him laugh, too, "Yes?"

"It's awful. Your humor is atrocious."

"Currently, my ass probably smells worse too."

"Thank you for that image," She said sarcastically, "It stole the other one right out of my head."

"Which one was that?"

"Finding you on a sini ready to be eaten."

"Lord, I like that image better. Let's go with that one."

Jill chuckled, enjoying him, "You won't find any sex talk here, Mr. Kennedy. You're on duty."

"Story of my life. Get dinner with me, Jill Valentine."

"Hard to do that on the other side of the world, Mr. Kennedy."

"True," he considered, "what if we just talk food instead? Is that still phone sex?"

"Depends," she teased, "would it get you off?"

"If the steak was big enough, it might."

He hung up laughing, and so did she.

She was pouring over old reports with Kevin and Mira one afternoon trying to find answers. Mira was barely five feet tall, had a body that belonged on a stripper pole and skin the color of coffee with three creams, and was hell on wheels at research. Kevin was good for a lot of things; digging through old reports wasn't one of them. He was bitching about how boring it was.

"What are we looking for in this shit pit?"

Jill flipped a page. Mira did too. They both shrugged.

Kevin sighed dramatically, "I could be getting laid right now."

Mira snorted, "By who?"

Kevin answered, "Anyone, baby. And it's whom."

Mira snorted, "Whatever. Call the grammar police, see if I care."

Jill's phone started ringing, so she answered it, reading over the Kennedy Report for the eighteenth time. It was curious how much credit he gave her in it. He was way too humble for a guy who'd been like a machine there.

"Yeah?"

"Question: How rude is it to leave your socks on in a dojo?"

Jill blinked and laughed. "Are you in Japan?"

"Seemingly."

Mira watched her face, smirking. She knew who was on that phone just by the way her face lit up. Jill had a boyfriend. Mira wiggled her brows and pantomimed kissing herself. She wrapped her arms around herself and pretended to make out.

Kevin remarked, "Now this is entertainment." He hooted.

Jill ignored them.

"Why the socks?"

"It's cold, clearly, and I probably have hammer toes, so there's that. Also, I am, hands down, the tallest guy around here."

"Interesting. You should be happy, I'm thinking."

"Should I?"

"I heard you have a type."

He laughed on his end, shaking his head. You date a couple of Asian girls, and everybody assumed that was your type. "Don't have a type, gorgeous. I think all women are beautiful. Especially ones with hearts for names...and asses that look like one."

Jill shook her head, charmed, "It's unlikely about the hammer toes, my good sir. I've seen those feet."

"Things change. I may or may not have gone without grooming for quite some time."

"Are you always stinky, filthy, or suffering from swamp ass when you call me?"

Leon laughed now, and she could hear the sounds of water and music wherever he was. "No?"

"Is there a reason you only call me when you're gross?"

"You like me dirty?"

The laugh she gave had Kevin looking up at her. Kevin glanced at Mira, who wiggled her brows. Jill leaned back in her chair, enjoying herself. "This is true. And somewhat embarrassing. Are you calling to talk dirty to me?"

"I am, at the moment, in some pretty impressive mud. So, it would seem the answer is a resounding yes."

"Maybe next time you call me, you could do that when you're clean."

"I don't think I'm ever clean when I think about you, gorgeous."

And now she smiled and rolled her lower lip into her mouth.

"Probably one of the things I like most about you, hotshot, hands down. And yes, you should take off the socks. Follow the customs and play nice."

"Fair enough." He paused, listening to her breathe, and queried, "What are you wearing?"

Jill hung up laughing.

Kevin and Mira kept staring at her until she raised her brows. "Um...what?"

Mira laughed, "Who are you tagging?"

Jill rolled her eyes. Kevin said nothing, proving he was a loyal friend because they both knew that he knew who was on the other line. Kevin tossed his hair and laid a finger on his chin, making an impressive cleft.

Jill gave him a deadpan look.

Mira, too smart for her own good, squeaked, "Ha! Kennedy!? Really!?" She looked at Kevin and gave him huge eyes, "Kennedy? That guy dates?"

Kevin shrugged, "I guess so. How's that going, Jill?"

Jill rolled her eyes again, "He's not dating me."

Mira arched her brows, "Does he take you to dinner?"

"...once."

"Did he give you flowers?"

"...a couple times."

"Have you fucked him yet?"

Jill winced. Kevin snorted out a laugh, "Nope. No mattress tango. You know why? Because he's dating you."

Jill rolled her eyes again, "He's not. You fools."

Mira grinned a little, "He is. He's wooing you. You lucky duck. What's he like? I bet he's uptight as hell."

Jill blinked twice and answered, "...he's wonderful. Sweet. Very charming."

Mira nodded, "Yep. Because he's courting you."

Jill scoffed, "Is that even a thing anymore?"

Kevin chuckled, "It is for guys like Kennedy. He fancies you, Valentine. Mazel tov."

Jill considered it as she sat there. Of course, she'd known that. She'd known. She wasn't stupid. Sure, she was a little slow in the romance department, but she wasn't a complete null. She hadn't been on a real date in years before Leon had taken her out, but it wasn't for lack of interest.

Just a lack of time.

And in that time, he'd been...courting her.

Jill let out a laugh. "Jesus. He's wooing me."

Mira nodded happily, "Yep. You're the girl being chased by the Executioner. How in the hell did that happen?"

Jill shook her head with a solid laugh and didn't get it either. In what universe was she the girl pursued by a hero? Crazy. She'd slipped through an alternate dimension and woken up in another one where she was Leon Kennedy's love interest.

And it was the first time in years she'd felt like a woman and not a machine.