AN: Thank you all for the wait. This chapter wasn’t initially going to kick off the fanfic, I was intending to make most of the events in here oneshots. But I thought, why not just make them all chapter one. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing!
I entered the gym holding an ice pack over my eye. Wesker was lifting weights with his shirt off, alone at the bench press. Cocky as ever, wanting to show off those muscles of his. I’ll admit, the first time I saw him in this state it caught my eye. Those rock hard abs of his still managed to make my nethers tingle, but you learn to keep your composure after seeing them for the hundredth time. I hung over the bench press with a sly smile plastered to my face. “Hey hot shot.”
He stopped for a moment, turning his head to me. I could tell behind those sunglasses, his eyes went to the ice pack over my eye in an instant. This assumption was confirmed when he asked, “What happened?”
He stood and carefully took the ice pack away from my eye. “Who gave you that black eye?”
“It was nothing, Wesker. Just a sparring match gone wrong.”
He scoffed. “I don’t, I was just wondering what face I should see in my mind when I imagined you getting your ass kicked.”
I shoved his hand out of the way, replacing the ice pack over the bruised area. “For you information, just because Miller managed to land a good hit doesn’t mean I completely lost the match. He walked away with a nice fat lip of his own.”
Wesker shook his head, no doubt rolling his eyes under those dark shades. He sat back down on the bench.
“Y’know you look like a douche, right?”
His head snapped to me. “Excuse me?”
“You know I’m right. You’re wearing sunglasses in the gym when you’re all by yourself in here.”
“Not entirely alone, you’re here nagging me too.”
“Shut up, you’re getting off topic! Why don’t you just take ‘em off? It’s not like me knowing your eye color will make much of a difference.”
“You’re a pest, you know that?”
“It’s my job to pester you. Now are they coming off by choice or by force?”
Wesker stood and towered over me. “You know damn well you would lose this fight.”
“Oh please. You think I’d let you outsmart me? Besides, you wouldn’t lay a hand on a lady, would you?”
“Are we talking about a lady or a bitch?”
I reached up and took the frames of the sunglasses, no protest so far. I lifted them from his nose and brought them in front of me. Staring back at me were a pair of warm, brown eyes. When I looked closer, I realized they were actually dull orange. I couldn’t contain the short gasp that passed my lips. He took his glasses from my hands and replaced them, then wordlessly returned to his workout. Before I could respond, my watch started to beep. My que that my break had ended. I quickly changed into my work uniform—white button up blouse, black slacks, and my lab coat—and I departed for the labs. As I walked through the hall, I pinned my name badge to my lapel and tied my blonde hair into a bun at the crown of my head.
After a long day in the labs, I retired to my quarters. We had a field mission later that evening, so with my later afternoon cleared, I decided to go on a quick hike around the complex. I traversed through the upper halls, passing Miller as I left. He scoffed as he laid eyes on my face. “Your eye looks fabulous,” he said.
I flipped my hair over my shoulder. “I know right, it’s a new fashion statement. I like to call it ‘Abuser’s Violet.’”
“Whatever, I still call a rematch.”
“You’re on, see you on the helipad.”
I went down to the foyer and before I opened the door, I heard hushed voices echoing from upstairs.
“So where’d Martinez get that black eye of hers?”
“Huh? We sparred earlier today. What’s it to you?”
“I want you to stay away from her.”
“Wesker, we work together. You can’t be serious!”
“I’m warning you, if I ever see you anywhere near her, you’ll have to deal with me.”
“Y-Yes sir…my apologies sir.”
Both sets of footsteps left the hall, so I exited the front steps of the mansion and jogged through the forest. The smell of fresh air brushing past my nose freed me from my chaotic life, at least for a moment. All that occupied the atmosphere were thumps from my feet against coarse dirt and the hum of songbirds. I had become accustomed to the rustling of leaves in the forest years ago when I first came here, so it was more comforting to me than anything. It let me know I wasn’t alone. Normally, the natural sounds allowed me to clear my head. But this time, my mind raced faster than the jackrabbits in the forestry. All I could think of was the voices I heard in the hall.
“I want you to stay away from her. If I see you near her, you’ll have to deal with me.”
Why would Wesker care about Miller and I sparring? He didn’t care about anyone but himself, right? Besides, he’s too invested in his work to notice anyone. Women and men alike showed subtle romantic interest, but he always turned them down. At most, he came across as an older brother to Birkin and I, albeit a distanced older brother in college with Birkin and I being kid siblings in middle school. He’s always been distant, why would he care now?
Before I knew it, I was at the top of a massive hill overlooking a brilliant sunset over the forest. The sky above ran orange, and the tops of the trees were peppered gold. I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked down at the trees. I heard footsteps behind me and I whirled around, taking a fighting stance.
Wesker shook his head. “At ease, soldier.”
“You ass! Don’t sneak up on me like that! What are you doing here?”
“I believe I am permitted to hike the outskirts of the complex, or was I unaware that you owned the forest.”
“You following me or something?”
“I was in the area, heard your giant footsteps and decided to see who was spying on me.”
“Don’t get cheeky,” Before I could finish my statement, the alarm went off on my watch and I shut it off. “Whatever, we should get going if we want to make it to dinner.”
“Lead the way then. Since you own the forest, you must know it be heart.”
I rolled my eyes and walked ahead of him, but he quickly mathed my pace. “By the way, what was all that with Miller?”
“You didn’t have to intimidate him over a little sparring match.”
“Maybe he should learn not to hit a woman.”
“Y’know what I think? I think you care about me more than you let on.”
“What on earth gave you that impression?”
“Why else would you care so much? You’d think the idea of me getting an ass kicking would be the happiest news in your eyes.”
“Why are you pestering me all of the sudden?”
“It’s a hobby of mine to prove you wrong.”
“Listen Tweety Bird, when are you going to realize that I don’t care?”
“I told you to stop calling me that!”
“Then either grow a couple of inches or quit being a nuisance.”
“That would be my other hobby, annoying you is just so much fun.”
We made it back to the mansion and entered the dining hall. Birkin was already at our normal spot. As usual, he was poring over a file rather than paying much attention to his food.
“Put your file away, William,” I said, “Your soup is getting cold.”
“You’re not my mother, Victoria.”
I didn’t respond, I was too invested in the slab of steak and vegetables in front of me. I finished my dinner early and went to suit up, then I met the team in the briefing room and together we boarded the helicopter.