locked to manufactured

[scythegun]

[When Wesker didn't contact him a day ago he was worried, but worry has quickly turned to fear and Jaeger's never been good at dealing with fear. Repeated attempts to reach Wesker have failed, so Jaeger's taken it on himself to go looking for his boyfriend.

Thankfully Wesker cuts a distinctive figure and Jaeger's able to trace his location to the outskirts of the city. He's worried that he's going to find that something's happened to Wesker, that he'll be injured or dying, or maybe even already dead—

But that isn't the case, and when he finds Wesker the man looks perfectly fine.]

Albert!

[He'll approach immediately; the worry and concern is probably obvious just from that exclamation alone, but once he gets close he speaks up again.]

Are you okay? What are you doing out here?

[If Wesker will let him get close enough, he'll reach out to touch Wesker's arm, as he usually does.]

Comments

[scythegun]

[To be honest, he wasn't expecting Wesker to open up to him, even a little bit. This is much more than he was expecting, and it makes his heart ache.]

You certainly weren't always like this here. It's been painful to watch and be unable to help.

What happened that one time?

[Was it Spencer...?]

[manufactured]

It was when I first was told about my purpose. Not the one I decided for myself, but one that someone else decided for me.

When I was very young, someone kidnapped me and harmed me rather badly. I was made to kill my siblings - other children that had been taken but weren't as strong as I was and had difficulties adapting to what we were put through. After a while, I was selected to serve the man who did that to me.

I was experimented on, and several things were planted in my mind to limit my capacity for free will. My thoughts and desires were all dictated by someone else, until I finally broke free of the conditioning and left. Even so, I don't know how much of my actions were something that I truly wanted and how much were what was chosen for me.

It hardly matters anymore. Wherever my thoughts originated from, the fact is that they're mine, in the end. I serve no one, and I've made my own choices about what should be done with the world. But the person who did that to me... He summoned me to him to tell me about it. To tell me how special I was, by way of telling me how special he was for having "created" me. He outlined the process and told me that I was someone who had been...produced, for lack of a better term. Manufactured.

It did unpleasant things to me, knowing that.

[scythegun]

[So that's the whole story, laid out in calm, chilling detail. Every single part of it is horrifying and Jaeger's hands are shaking by the time he tries to type out a response. He takes a moment to try to calm himself down before he manages anything.]

I'm so sorry. I've heard bits and pieces of this before, but I didn't know the whole story. I wish I knew what to say, but I don't think there's anything anyone could say to make any of this any better.

Is there anything I can do for you?

[He's sure Wesker - this one at least - isn't as torn up about it anymore. If he was, Jaeger doubts he would have laid all this out for him. Still, it's terrifying to hear and he wants nothing more than to be by Wesker's side right now.

Though he supposes physical contact wouldn't be appreciated anyway, so it's not like being there would do much.]

[manufactured]

It's fine now. I don't truly remember anything that happened, only what I was told.

As much as I hate the man responsible, he's the reason I've come as far as I have. While I'll never forgive him for it and believe he deserves what he received, I do admit appreciation for that much.

[scythegun]

[That's also chilling, but for entirely different reasons.]

It's good that you don't remember it, at least.

Still, I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. You really have been through so much...

[It's understandable why he'd hate humanity. Judging humanity as a whole is still a bit much, but Jaeger can at least see why Wesker hates people so much.]

[manufactured]

You know what they say about that which doesn't kill you.

[scythegun]

I certainly do. You're a very strong person, Albert.

[Crazy, certainly, but there's no denying that he's strong.]

[manufactured]

I know. If you want to survive, you have to be.

[Which isn't to discredit anything Jaeger is saying, but it's a basic fact, as far as he remembers. Either you're going to be capable of survival or you aren't.]

Beyond a certain point in your life, there's going to be no one to help you. You have to be able to rely on yourself, because there will be times when you won't have anyone else.

It's the way things have always been.

[scythegun]

[It's honestly a little sad that Wesker genuinely believes that... It's not something he believed in this life, and it only serves to highlight the differences between them even further.]

I don't think that's always the case, at least not here. The world you came from was very different from this one, admittedly.

[manufactured]

It was, yes.

I wouldn't have told anyone there about any of this.

[scythegun]

It means a lot to me that you trust me with this. I figure it goes without saying, but I won't tell anyone about it.

[manufactured]

I didn't think you would.

You should sleep at some point.

[scythegun]

I know I should, but getting to sleep's usually a bit difficult...

And you should sleep as well! What are you doing up this late anyway?

[manufactured]

I don't need to sleep as much as most people. It's a bit dull late at night sometimes; I was reading.

[scythegun]

[...Huh, really? He didn't know that...]

I see. Well, I'll let you get back to your book!

Thank you for talking with me. I really appreciate it.

[manufactured]

Of course, Jaeger. Anytime.

[scythegun]

[Over the next several days Jaeger keeps in contact with Wesker over text. Sure, Wesker's still crazy, but the crazy's been easy enough to deal with. It hasn't been anywhere near as bad as it was that day.

Jaeger finally asked to meet Wesker, and that's why he's at Wesker's manor now. It feels like it was a long time ago that he was last here. Maybe that's because this place has been home for months and he's used to seeing it every day.

It's best not to start dwelling on things like that, so he knocks on the door and steps back, adjusting his gloves a bit to give his hands something to do. He's trying to convince himself that he's not nervous - it's not like he has a reason to be nervous, right? - but it's not really working.]

[manufactured]

[Again, the door will open soon enough; Wesker is...well, he's wearing the leather thing completely unprompted, which is not necessarily a bad sign, nor is it explicitly a good one.

Weird sign, maybe.

Either eay, he'll let Jaeger in easily; the study, then...?]

Well. It's good to see you again.

[scythegun]

[It's definitely a weird sign. It still looks good on him, but that's not important right now.

Jaeger will follow to the study, of course. It's one of his favorite rooms in the house, after all.]

Ah, I was going to say the same thing!

[...]

Thank you, for agreeing to meet with me. I... It feels like it's been a long time, ja?

[manufactured]

It does.

[Well, however much he's managed to open up over text - which hasn't been much, in the scheme of things, but it's been a bit - that doesn't seem to have changed his demeanor in person; he's still coming off as very cold and distant, albeit not harshly so. Just the way he interacts with the world, perhaps.

He won't sit down right away, though; he seems to be waiting to see what Jaeger ends up doing.]

You seem to be doing well enough.

[scythegun]

[Jaeger doesn't hesitate, he makes his way over to his usual spot on the couch.]

I'm doing better, yes. Things have been picking up at work, so I've been keeping busy!

[He's sure Wesker knows that's not the real reason he's doing better, but he says it anyway.]

[manufactured]

Of course.

[As long as we all know it...

He'll come sit down eventually, however; he'll join Jaeger on the couch this time, though he's still keeping a good amount of distance between Jaeger and himself. He doesn't seem particularly relaxed, either - but then, he never does.]

I still haven't found what I'm looking for, with regards to recovering memories. But I'm still making an attempt at it; I won't be satisfied until I've regained them.

[scythegun]

[Oh, that's nice... It's not as close as they'd normally be, but it's nice that Wesker's joined him.]

I'm glad to hear that. I really hope you do regain them.

[The thought that Wesker might never regain them still lingers in the back of his mind, but he refuses to acknowledge it, even now.]

Of course, if there's ever anything I can do to help, you can let me know. Though I sort of doubt there's much anyone could do...

[manufactured]

It seems that way. At the same time, I want to know who I was properly, before this happened.

I've always been one to want answers, even if I don't care for those answers very much.

[It's not the first time he's said something like that in front of Jaeger, is it.]

[scythegun]

[...It isn't. It hurts to hear it again and he wants nothing more than to reach out and touch Wesker, but... Well, this Wesker doesn't like that, so Jaeger toys with the hem of his sleeve for a moment instead.]

I know. I know you'll keep looking until you've found your answers.

[He wants to promise he won't leave again, but he hasn't forgotten what he told Wesker. He still needs to keep some distance from this one, just in case. So he can't promise that he won't leave, but...]

I want to be here when you do.