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The red and blue lights of a police car flash behind Claire as she speeds down the road on her Harley Davidson.
She squints in her rearview mirror and slowly exhales a few expletives as she reluctantly turns on her blinker and pulls over.
Fuck.
She waits, seated patiently on her motorcycle while she strategizes a plan to weasel her way out of this one. It seems the cop is in no hurry, thus biding her more time in fabricating a dramatic story involving a burning building or a dying grandmother in an effort to excuse her blatant disregard for the speed limit. Restlessness overwhelms her after what feels like an eternity of sitting around, her boots digging carelessly into the gravel out of sheer boredom. Her helmet’s still on, and she doesn’t bother taking it off until the officer finally approaches her.
That only manages to startle them both.
“Leon?”
"Claire?"
They really have to stop bumping into each other like this.
“Excuse me, Officer Kennedy,” Claire corrects herself, the words rolling flirtatiously off her tongue, “Fancy meeting you here.”
Leon heaves a deep sigh. “Again with this?” he asks in unabashed disbelief, shaking his head. “That’s the fourth time this week.”
Claire gives him a cheeky grin, feigning innocence. “I can explain…”
Leon interjects before she can finish. “I don’t care what excuse you have or what lines you’re going to try to use on me this time, I have to give you a ticket. Now hand over your license and registration please. You know the drill.” He folds his arms across his chest, trying hard to maintain a serious expression in spite of how ridiculous Claire's pouting is. “But maybe you can explain to me why everyone else seems to slow down when they see me but you speed up.”
“Maybe I’m just excited to see you,” Claire replies, handing over her license. “Do you really need this? You already know it’s me.”
Leon nods. “I need it for the paperwork,” he says, stepping away. “I’ll be back with your ticket.”
After running Claire’s information through the system in his cruiser, he writes up the ticket and heads back to her motorcycle.
“What’s the damage?” Claire sasses, a bit prematurely. Her eyes widen in shock when she sees the amount. “One hundred and seventy-five dollars?! For fuck’s sake, Leon!”
Leon offers a sympathetic smile, hoping this will teach her a lesson. “You were going eighty in a fifty-five zone. That’s twenty-five over the speed limit.”
Claire pauses for a moment, readying herself for some austere bargaining. “You know, officer, you’ve been eyeing my bike this entire time…” She trails off, quirking a suggestive brow. “My brother mentioned you’d always wanted to ride one of these babies.”
Her insinuation is not lost on Leon, but he’s got his priorities straight. As a rookie on the force, he knows his performance is critical at this stage in his career. He can’t allow himself to be swayed by even the most charming of his acquaintances- especially when said charming acquaintance is fellow officer (and highly celebrated officer) Chris Redfield’s younger sister.
“I appreciate the offer,” Leon finally says, “but I’m gonna have to pass.”
Strike the motorcycle bribe. Claire moves on to Plan B. “How about I buy you a drink? After you get off work or something.”
“Claire, you’re nineteen. You’re a minor.”
“Okay, so coffee it is then!”
“You think one cup of coffee is enough to get you outta this?”
“I’m willing to negotiate.”
“Bribery is a felony, Miss Redfield.”
“That’s not what this is. We’re just two people having a discussion.”
“Seems more like a disagreement.”
It’s true. They're at an impasse. And all Leon has to do is walk away to finally put an end to this whole charade.
Claire’s a rather persistent troublemaker though.
“Then let’s find something we can agree on,” she muses, rolling up her sleeves as she contemplates possible candidates for the feat. She opts for discreet schmoozing. “For starters, we’re always happy to see each other, right? Regardless of the circumstances.”
Leon considers her words. “Pretty convenient how the circumstances usually consist of you getting caught in the act."
“Oh come on. Don’t be like that,” Claire says. “Besides, I meant that our frequent run-ins are like... fate. We were destined to cross paths like this.”
“You mean you were lucky it was me pulling you over and not some other officer, because they more than likely would not fall for your sweet-talking.”
“Are you implying that you fall for it?”
The audacity of this woman.
Leon shakes his head. “That’s ridiculous. And insulting.”
Claire raises her hands in defense. “Look, I offered to buy you a cup of coffee as a token of my appreciation for turning a blind eye to my speeding, but you keep twisting my words.”
“The guilt-tripping won’t work this time, Claire. Sorry.”
“Fine. If having a little fun is a crime, then I guess you should just arrest me.”
That earns a small half-smile from Leon, in spite of himself. “No one’s getting arrested. But you want my advice?”
“Not really, but I doubt that'll stop you from sharing.”
“There are other ways to have fun besides breaking the law.”
Claire tilts her head, curious. Goody-two shoes Leon Kennedy knows how to have fun? Now she’s interested in hearing more. “Like what?” she asks, expecting him to answer with something dull like ‘bowling.’
Leon gives her the side-eye. “The adventurous type like you should have at least a few ideas.”
“Oh, believe me, I have plenty,” Claire huffs. “But I’m more interested in what Officer Buzzkill does for fun.”
“Really?” Leon asks, in a tone she can’t quite decipher between genuine confusion and sarcasm.
“Mhhmmm,” Claire hums, rolling with it either way. “I know you like me and all but pulling me over can’t seriously be the highlight of your day.”
When Leon fails to follow up with her remark, she lets out a bitter laugh.
“Oh my god! When was the last time you got some action, Leon?!”
Leon stares at her in disbelief. “Claire. Inappropriate.”
“I mean any action!” she clarifies. “When was the last time you went out and got completely and utterly wasted? When was the last time you went to a concert for one of those trashy grunge bands you like so much?”
“Ouch.” Leon figures Chris told her about his 'questionable taste in music,' as he disdainfully puts it. Still stings a little.
“When was the last time you took the night off and got crazy and just did whatever the hell you wanted?!”
The longer Leon mulls it over, the deeper the realization sinks in. It has been a while. Except he’d never really been the rowdy type- and he likes his job; enforcing the law and keeping the citizens of Raccoon City safe. Protect and Serve. Day in. Day out.
He can admit, however, that Claire and her enthusiastic desire to raise a little hell are rather… fascinating.
“You want my advice?” she asks, interrupting his thoughts.
Leon scoffs. “Humor me.”
“Go out with me.”
Leon nearly chokes upon hearing that. “Claire, now is hardly the time-”
“I’m serious,” she asserts. “I swear I’m not just trying to get out of this ticket. I honestly think you need a night out to let off some steam and enjoy the company of some really cool people. Like me. And maybe my brother.”
Leon peers down at his watch and sighs. God, this was the longest traffic stop ever.
“This is breaking all kinds of protocol…” Leon mutters.
“But it’s worth it,” Claire amends. “I’m the best part of your day.”
Fuck, her smile is adorable. Even when she's being her typical stubborn self, it’s practically contagious.
With a roll of his shoulders and the release of a deep breath, Leon finally relents.
“If I drop the ticket, will you promise to stay out of trouble?” he asks. “For real this time?”
Claire shrugs, mischief in her eye. “I probably shouldn’t make promises I can’t keep,” she quips, “but for you, Leon, I will try my absolute best to stay out of trouble.”
“Good enough for me,” Leon says, ripping the ticket in half.
Despite her success in getting out of the ticket, Claire can’t help but feel disappointed when the downside to her accomplishment dawns on her.
“Does this mean we won’t see each other anymore?” she blurts.
Leon frowns, unprepared for the weight of the question. “I guess if you stop committing traffic violations, I’ll have no reason to pull you over,” comes his deduction. Wasn't that supposed to be a good thing?
“But what if I meant what I said?” she asks before he can turn away. “About seeing each other… outside of these insane little run-ins?”
Leon chuckles and runs a hand through his hair, unable to get an accurate read on her. “So just to be clear,” he begins, “this has no relation to the dismissal of your ticket?”
“If it meant I’d get to see you again,” Claire concedes, “I’d pay the goddamn ticket. And the ones you should have given me before that.”
Heat rises to Leon’s cheeks, burning the bridge of his nose. “You’re rather… forthcoming with that,” is all his flustered state will permit.
“That’s kind of the point,” Claire says with a humorless laugh. “One of us has to be.”
Leon opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by the loud static noise on the radio in his cruiser. Duty calls.
“I, uh,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I should probably take that. Still on the clock, you know.”
“Yeah. Of course,” Claire says, understanding. “But think you can spare just one more sec?”
Leon nods tentatively. “Sure,” he offers, waiting patiently.
Claire gestures at the pen in his shirt pocket. “Got something to write on?”
Leon acts quickly and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. "Guess we could use this half of your ticket," he quips.
“That’ll work.” Claire quickly steps off her Harley and shifts closer toward Leon.
Without warning, she uses his chest as a flat surface to scribble something on the paper, having failed to find an alternative flat surface on impulse. Leon stands as still as possible, hoping she can’t feel the erratic rhythm of his heart beat even with her hands pressed against him as she writes.
She smiles when she’s finished, and stuffs both the pen and paper in his shirt pocket.
“There,” she says with renewed satisfaction, gently patting his chest. “Read it when you get the chance.”
With that, Claire bids him farewell and hops back on her motorcycle, riding off into the distance without turning back.
Leon watches until she disappears into the obscurity of lights and thick foliage, shaking his head as he ambles back to his cruiser.
He waits until he’s made it back to the police headquarters to read her note.
Leon,
Thanks for letting me off the hook one last time.
Guess there are better ways to get your attention. *wink*
Here’s my number. I hope you’ll still take me up on my offer.
Claire
555-555-4494