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“-and how do you feel about the financial aspects of the upcoming year? Despite their many controversies, Umbrella still have a lot of influence in the markets.”
Leon sighed heavily. He finally had some time off and here he was, in the prime of his life, sitting in his apartment staring at the news channel. If ten-year-old Leon could see himself now, he would wonder where it all went wrong and how did they turn into their dad.
“Maybe I should go out for a bit?”
A new club had recently opened nearby, and Leon had thought of paying a visit sometime to check it out. He sat there for a while, wondering why he expected an answer from the silence. Running into the bathroom, he tidied his hair, applied some cologne, and grabbed his jacket from the stand. Wrenching open his door; he almost missed the person leaning against his door frame. Jumping a few feet back into his apartment, he finally got a proper look at them. A long black coat and sunglasses hid the majority of their features but to be honest, Leon was almost certain that at this point in their off-except-for-the-odd-night relationship, he should have evolved some kind of biological Ada tracker. Especially when his line of work had him constantly crossing paths with new and horrific mutagenic creatures.
“Ada!”
She smiled but Leon noticed that something was off about her. It did not reach her eyes as it usually did.
“Hiya handsome.”
“What are you doing here?!”
“I was in the neighbourhood, and I decided to pay a visit.”
“But your next ‘surprise’ visit isn’t due until next week?”
“Leon, while I do enjoy our little foreplay as much as anyone else, can I please come in?”
Leon shifted to one side and watched Ada slowly step into the apartment, her hand tightly wrapped around her chest, holding her side.
“Ada-?!”
It was official. He needed to be more alert. He finally noticed the trail of crimson beads dripping from the hem of Ada’s coat, and taking a glance outside showed that it was not a recent wound.
“Ada! Your wounded!”
“What? Where?!”
Leon ran into the bathroom and grabbed the small kit from his bug out bag. While he did not always appreciate Ada’s dry sarcasm, he decided to leave her off, just this once.
“Take off your coat and I’ll be with you in a second!”
“Already Leon? Can we not talk for a bit first?”
“Ada!”
“Well, since you asked nicely…”
Leon ran and also grabbed the strongest bottle of alcohol he had. It was a bottle of whiskey that his mother had bought him when he joined up with the service. Obscenely expensive, Leon had not dared to crack the top unless it was worth it, in fear of wasting it. The love of his life bleeding out in his living room? Yes, that warranted it.
Running back into the living room, Leon froze for a moment. Ada stood there with her back to him, black coat forgotten in a pool at her feet, dressed in an elegant scarlet qipao dress. It had a slit from the hip down, adorned with a golden dragon flowing along her leg. If it were their regular night together, he had instead run gentle kisses along the contours of her shoulders while he slowly unwrapped her like she was a gift from on high. A sharp breath broke his reverie, and he handed Ada the bottle.
“What happened.”
A shiver ran down Ada’s spine. While she did get a glimpse of him from time to time, there was no getting around the fact that her little boy scout had grown up and had become more confident and authoritative. His voice was stern and powerful, and Ada was not sure if it was him or the blood loss that was making her knees weak.
“Bastard had a derringer up his sleeve. Seriously, who the fuck has a derringer nowadays?!”
Ada noticed Leon’s hands floating over her, unsure. Guiding them to her upper right side, he nodded before guiding her towards the couch. It was the same couch that they shared together those many weeks ago after the mission to Spain. It was cleaner now, to be honest, the whole apartment was too. No junk food, or empty beer bottles. He was taking care of himself again. She was glad.
Leon helped her sit down on the couch. “I’m going to need to take the dress off partially.”
“Does that work with other girls?”
“Ada… how about you give me dating advice after I make sure you’re not dying on my couch?”
Ada nodded. “Fair point. There is a zip on the back.”
As Leon reached around her to try and undo the zip, Ada lifted up the bottle of ‘anaesthetic’ and pulled the cork free with her teeth, before taking a deep swig.
“Jack Daniels Master Distillers… That is not cheap.”
“Told my mom that too.”
“Your mom bought you this?”
“As a way to celebrate me joining the secret service. Almost fainted when I saw that it costs more than a year’s rent back when I was in college. There, done.”
Ada felt the fabric around her torso loosen. Leon’s hands were as gentle as a breeze as he slowly pulled the fabric down off her shoulders, slowly pooling it just above her navel. Ada knew his hands were rough and calloused, and yet he must have been wearing silk gloves. If she had not been shot, tonight would be playing out much differently.
“Damn. I cannot get a clear look at it. I will need you to lie down flat.”
“Do I need to remind you that this was barely big enough for us to watch a movie on it?”
Leon froze. She was right. “Okay then, you can lie down on my bed.”
“The bedroom?! Why Mr. Kennedy! Get a girl drunk and then throw her into your bed. You Casanova!”
Having enough of her jibes, Leon stood up and without giving her a chance to protest, He picked her up carefully and started heading for his bedroom. Ada wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled in close. She felt warm and heady. Still unsure if that was the alcohol or the proximity between the two. Leon noted that she smelled ever so slightly of roses or cherry blossom. Whichever it was, it was divine.
Leon gently put her down on the bed and left to grab the med kit from the living room. While he was gone, Ada pulled the dress down further. When Leon came back into his room and saw a beautiful woman lying on his bed in her underwear, his inner teenager rejoiced. When his sensible side regained control and banished the teenager to his room, he got to work.
The wound was not too bad. The skin was angry and red, but the lack of an exit wound told him what he already suspected. Pulling a pair of tweezers from the kit, he looked to Ada. “I’m afraid you’re not going to like the next part.”
“Yes, because I’ve loved every moment of this whole experience up until now…”
Leon grabbed a towel and folded it into a tight log before handing it to Ada. “Bite down on this and I’ll work as best I can.”
Ada grabbed the bottle of Jacks and drank deep. “As fast as you can.”
“I can either do fast and give you a horrendous scar or even worse, internal bleeding, or I can go slower and limit the damages. Your call.”
Ada thought for a moment. “Limit the damages please, doctor.” Leon nodded as Ada jammed the impromptu gag into her mouth.
Ada’s back formed a near perfect curve when Leon put in the tweezers. Her knuckles were white as she grabbed and clutched at the bedsheets and Ada swore if she had not already killed the guy that shot her, she would have first crushed his balls with a sledgehammer. Leon kept digging and placed a spare hand on Ada’s chest to try and keep her as still as possible.
“Almost have it now… Got it!”
Ada felt as though she was a million light years away as she heard a light tink of the .41 calibre slug fall into the metal dish. She came hurtling back down to Earth as Leon held a cloth soaked in spirits to the wound. Ada hissed and twitched.
“I’m sorry.”
“You… could give a girl some warning!”
Leon chuckled as he threw the rag to one side and produced a small needle and thread from the kit. Ada’s senses were burned out and tired. She rocked on top of the bed, but Leon stood up and straddled her, using his powerful legs to keep her locked in place.
Oh yes, tonight should have been MUCH different.
Leon heated the needle with a lighter and got to work. Ada did not move because she did not want to make the job even harder for the guy, but she was amazed with how she could not.
“And we’re done!” Leon got off of her and wiped his hands with a clean cloth, glancing at the sew job to make sure it was in fact, holding.
“How is your needlework?”
“Was never my forte. Sorry”
Ada sat up slowly, checking her range of movement. True, it was not the nicest stitchwork in the world, but it was a decent job. Ada leaned up and kissed Leon.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Ada stood up before the room suddenly spun around her and she fell back against the bed. Leon had grabbed her before she hit the sheets and quickly checked the stitches one more time.
“Your body has been through a lot. You can crash here for tonight.”
“How can I know that you’ll keep your hands to yourself?”
“Easy. I will take the couch.”
Ada shook her head. “No. I’ll take the couch.”
Now Leon shook his head. “You will run the risk of splitting your stitches if you sleep on that couch. Trust me, it is no problem.”
Leon stood up and walked over towards the door, stopping for a moment. Suddenly, he grabbed Ada’s arms and kissed her deeply. After a few moments, he stood back, and Ada smiled as a delightful dusting of pink blossomed across his cheeks.
“Goodnight… Ada.”
“Goodnight… Leon.”
Leon switched off the light and shut the door behind him. Slowly, Ada lowered herself in under the duvets and snuggled into the soft pillows. Pulling the duvet up to her nose, she breathed deep. It was an unexpected comfort to her, and it did not take long for sleep to overcome her.
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Birdsong woke Ada the next morning. Finding a tray at the end of her bed, it had a glass of water, fresh fruit, and two aspirin. As she sunk her teeth into an orange wedge, she found a small note underneath the aspirin.
Morning Ada.
Hope you slept well.
Got an urgent call, so that is why I am not there in person.
I took your coat and qipao,
I know a guy that will clean them no questions asked.
You can pick them up next time you are around.
Always yours,
Leon.
P.S: I know you have clothes stashed here, so just use those.