The Resident Evil series is owned by Capcom.
All characters are 18+
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1.6
Rebecca kept a steady pace, working her arms and legs in rhythm with the speed of the treadmill.
The gym was empty and silent - save for Rebecca and the faint drone of her machine. The young medic had wanted to be alone, even turning down drinks with Jill. Tonight just didn't feel like a time to celebrate.
The debrief had gone by shockingly fast - it seemed that the recovery of Ladybug and whatever intel she had in her possession was all that mattered to the higher-ups. A bitter frown tugged at Rebecca's lips as her legs continued to work beneath her. All the men they lost, BSAA
and
Tricell, and Director Gionne still considered the mission a "wonderful" success.
It just felt...
wrong.
But beyond that, Rebecca had to grapple with the fact that she should have died. A mutated licker would have been the end of her story had it not been for Commander Dalton. Her life had been saved by a smug, unrepentant Tricell mercenary. That troubled her greatly. Which was
stupid!
She
knew
it was stupid! Somehow, the prospect of being in that man's debt was more concerning than the revelation of his
superhuman abilities
.
The sound of the gym doors swinging open shook Rebecca back to reality. What followed were the unmistakable heavy footfalls of Director Gionne's conquering hero.
Speak of the devil...
Rebecca spotted him in the large mirror that took up the back wall of the gym, eyeing her not-so-beloved savior as he drew closer. Even dressed in civvies, Dalton cut a striking figure. Tall, broad, powerful - his sculpted physique was practically
popping
from the confines of his tight, black shirt. The fabric clung to his torso like a second skin, leaving no doubt to just how impressively built he was. Rebecca forced her eyes up to his face. As expected, his handsome face was marred by a smug, irksome grin.
The medic breathed in. Then she pressed a button, making her treadmill slow to a crawl.
Rebecca turned and locked eyes with the man, leveling him with a hard stare. But Dalton was not dissuaded. His green eyes shone with
bold
interest. It was clear: he was
not
going to leave.
"What are you doing here?" Rebecca's voice was cold and accusing as she wiped some sweat from her brow.
"I could ask you the same thing. Do you normally work out alone?" Dalton moved with a cool and confident stride, drawing closer until he stood right beside Rebecca's treadmill. He leaned back against the machine next over, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Rebecca did her best to ignore the fascinating way his forearm muscles tensed under the skin.
She hit another button, stopping the treadmill entirely. With a huff, she stepped off. Even with the extra inches of height the machine provided, Dalton stood taller. But now with her feet flat on the gym floor, the mercenary
loomed
over her. Rebecca bristled, silently damning her own shortness.
"The gym usually isn't this empty. We lost a lot of people, remember?" Rebecca's voice turned sharp as she narrowed her eyes. Dalton was unfazed, his anvil-like chin jutting forth as he tilted his head back.
"I do." Dalton answered calmly, his deep voice rolling over Rebecca like rumbling tank treads. "This is a dangerous job. Everyone on the team, both Tricell and your BSAA boys, knew the risks when they got on that helicopter."
Rebecca bristled again, vexed by the man's supreme arrogance. Even so, she didn't particularly enjoy being so cold. Especially towards the man who saved not only her own life but the life of her dear friend, Jill. But there was something about Dalton, more than his size, more than even his superhuman strength, that made Rebecca feel... uneasy. It was in the way he moved around her, the shine in his eyes, and the faint edge in his voice whenever he spoke to her. Like all it would take was
something
to set him off, to turn him more beast than man.
There were
ideas
coming forth then, swirling at the very edge of Rebecca's mind. The slender medic ignored them, not allowing them purchase in her thoughts for even a moment.
It was Rebecca's turn to cross her arms - though hers were
substantially
less impressive than Dalton's, so any chance of intimidation was negligible. The way his grin seemed to spread, Rebecca knew her displeasure was an amusement at best.
"Easy for you to say." Rebecca shot back, now heated and biting rather than cold and sharp. She nodded derisively towards the taller man, frowning. "You aren't actually
risking
anything. Not when you're...
you!
"
Annoyingly, Rebecca's words seemed to swell the man with pride rather than instill any sort of shame or respect. He pushed off of the treadmill he was leaning against, standing at his full height - more than a head taller than Rebecca. Even without the inches added by his combat boots, Dalton was a
tower
of a man. Rebecca hated having to look up to glare at him, knowing that it would mute any desired effect.
Dalton, of course, clearly delighted in the disparity, silently but obviously lording it over her with his posture and body language. Unshakable confidence colored every little movement, the sort of surety only a supersoldier could have. He stepped closer, leaning his head forward to look down into Rebecca's eyes. The medic stood her ground... but couldn't ignore the damnable coiling in her lower belly.
"And what am I, exactly?" Dalton spoke low and quiet, but also firm like steel.
Rebecca swallowed, breathing in deep through her nose. Her glare remained, unwavering.