Resident Evil One-Shots

Til the Cowboys Come Home (Willsker)

Wesker let the saddle hit the floor with a thud as he sighed. His blonde locks stuck to his sweat-lined face as he stared at the old and torn saddle for a moment before the creature beside him nickered softly and nudged his shoulder.

"Just one more year," he muttered as he slowly reached up to gently scratch her nose. "Then you get to go out to pasture with ol' Gray."

"Retirement, eh?" Wesker couldn't help the smirk sprouting on his face as he heard Redfield's voice ring out from one of the nearby stalls. "That sounds nice."

"Yeah," Wesker clipped back with a glance over his shoulder as he continued to stroke the mare's face. "She's gettin' too old for me now, decided to hang her out with Jilly's old horse."

"Oh," Redfield cooed. "Charlie's gon' love that!"

"Yeah," Wesker repeated as he bowed his head slightly and murmured. "You will."

Charlie had been his seal-brown horse ever since he was fourteen - that had been twenty-four years ago now. For twenty-four years they had been together, through thick and thin. His unstoppable show pony was an impressive sight of raw muscle and determination - headstrong, yet mysterious like him. Impressive and for an animal that never backed down, Wesker had been proud to call her his.

Sadly, now she was nearing her thirties, and that meant more health problems. He promised her a few more rides out on the country, rounding up cattle and maybe another pair of shows before she officially retired. He despised to think of how bored she would get out on the field all by herself, wasting away in her twilight years - believing that he had just abandoned her. He wouldn't. He loved this mare more than he loved anything else. So when the time came during one dinner, Jill offered to take Charlie in and have her retire with her dappled grey gelding - Gray Sky. Both Charlie and Gray Sky had been phenomenal show horses. They knew each other well, both rider and horses, so Wesker trusted Jill. She had her own ranch and was teaching her girls how to ride. Wesker let it slip that he didn't mind if the girls were careful enough, they could teach themselves how to ride with Charlie. Anything to get the mare back out and give her something to do until that horrible day arrives when they would all have to say farewell to a friend and eventually move on.

Wesker frowned mid-pat as he stared at the mare's neck. He didn't want to think about the future now - it scared him.

"You look contemptuous." He heard a voice that he didn't want to hear as soft, slow footsteps sounded from behind him and the stall gate was soon opened.

Wesker soon snapped out of his thoughts as Charlie reared her head up, ears pinned forward and eyes wide just as her nostrils flared. The taller blonde was quick to reach his hand up and gently stroke her face to calm her down again while his stronger hand held her reigns. "She doesn't like that lab coat," Wesker half-growled, half-grumbled without turning around to look at his partner.

William Birkin, who had been good friends with every Wesker, except for Albert, and a veterinarian here on their ranch. Wesker himself didn't even begin to fathom why they were a thing in the first place. Birkin's snide comments and abrasive attitude were not a healthy beverage for him, but every man picks their own poison, don't they?

He sighed as he finally turned around to face his partner once Charlie was settled again. Birkin was standing at the edge of the stall, and he hadn't even stepped inside it yet when he opened the gate, and stood staring at the mare with an apprehensive look about him. He had his arms folded across his wide chest, though most of his cute, tomboyish figure was hidden beneath the lab coat that he was wearing. His boots were no doubt covered in duck shit and his pants were lined with cat fur - perhaps some of it was even dog. Wesker could've been disdainful and petty about the other's appearance, however, as he felt the heat rise under his shirt, making it tighter, he supposed that he looked just as awful.