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

[manufactured]

It's several things, really. She loved me very thoroughly, certainly more than I knew what to do with; she wanted to be by my side forever, I don't think she would have ever willingly left me. She was European, like you; she was rather attractive.

Our relationship was good, for the most part. A bit domestic, but not in a bad way.

[scythegun]

[All of that does sound like him. That relationship didn't last though, and that's not really a good sign.]

It sounds like you were very close. What happened...?

[manufactured]

I cared about her as much as I was able to, at least.

[...]

We had a fight. It involved something that didn't have a resolution that we could both allow. The relationship dissolved over it; I went back to focusing on my work, and she returned to Europe.

[scythegun]

I see.

[He wants to ask more about it, but if Wesker didn't tell him what the fight was about, he probably won't even when pressed.]

I sincerely hope nothing like that happens to us.

[manufactured]

...I can guarantee that we won't get into that exact argument, at least.

[scythegun]

[Well now he's gotta ask.]

...What did you two argue about?

[manufactured]

She was pregnant.

[...Yeah.]

The child was mine. She wanted to keep it; I wanted no such thing. I told her to terminate it and she refused.

She seemed convinced that I would change my mind; either way, I'm fairly sure she couldn't possibly have supported a child on her own. I don't know what happened to her after the relationship ended.

[scythegun]

...Oh.

[Well, that's definitely a bit awkward. It's possible Wesker might have had a child and that's... kind of weird to think about? He's not sure what he thinks about it.]

I can see why that would spark an argument, especially if neither of you were willing to budge.

[manufactured]

It's not something that could have had a peaceful resolution; one of us would have hated it, regardless of what we decided, and we would have come to resent each other.

So it was for the best to end things as they were.

[scythegun]

Yes, I understand. It's a shame that things ended that way, though.

[Maybe things would have turned out differently if they had stayed together. But then again, maybe they wouldn't have.]

[manufactured]

...It happened shortly after I left the main Arklay compound and was living on my own. Getting involved at all was a rash decision, but it was something I wanted to experience.

[A shot at normalcy, perhaps.]

[scythegun]

I understand. I think it makes sense that you'd want to experience something like that, especially after everything you went through.

[manufactured]

I assume I've told you a good amount about Umbrella, then. You've never seemed surprised when I mention hating them.

[scythegun]

You have. I think you've told me everything about it.

[It was terrible, just like so many other things that happened to Wesker. But he doesn't express that; he sure Wesker already knows his thoughts on it, anyway.]

[manufactured]

They certainly won't be missed, at any rate.

[He knows.]

I suppose it was a good thing, having a normal life like that for a while. I believe I met those subordinates I liked shortly after the fact as well.

I don't think I would have been able to stand it on a more permanent level. But it was nice to pretend for a while.

[scythegun]

I think it's good you got to experience it for a little while. It's a bit unfortunate that it wasn't for you, but at least you had the experience.

[manufactured]

I was still technically working for Umbrella at the time; it wouldn't have lasted, anyway.

[And that's...bitter, blatantly so; he can feel himself tensing up again.]

[scythegun]

[Jaeger glances away. He's not sure what to say.]

I see. That's unfortunate.

[It's not fair that Wesker had to suffer like that at the hands of Umbrella. It's not fair that he never had a chance at a normal life, even if he never could have lived one anyway. But Wesker doesn't want to hear any of that, so he's not sure what else to say.]

[manufactured]

It's fine. After all, I get to have all of that now, don't I?

[Even if he doesn't remember it anymore; even if it isn't really his.]

[scythegun]

[How is he supposed to answer that? Wesker's already said he doesn't consider this his, and in a way he's right. He's probably not trying to make Jaeger feel guilty, but it's working anyway.]

...I'm sorry. I wish I knew what to say.

[But he doesn't. He can't do anything to help.]

[manufactured]

It's hardly your fault.

[Which doesn't necessarily seem like much, but Wesker tend to like having someone to blame for things; this, though...

Well, it really is just unfortunate, isn't it.]

...I'm sure I would be happy, if you had any say. If you could fix things for me, that would be what you want. Isn't it?

[It's not a concession that Jaeger cares, but it is an acknowledgement that he at least doesn't want to see him suffer any more than he already has.

Again, it's not much. But it's something.]

[scythegun]

Yes, of course. If there was something I could do to help, I would.

[He doesn't think that Wesker genuinely believes that he cares, but it is something. It's good, he thinks.]

[manufactured]

...I understand.

[Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. It's difficult to say.

He'll get up once that's out there, though; he doesn't seem upset, just...deciding to remove himself from the conversation at this point.]

I have work tomorrow, and things to look over before that. I assume I'll see you in the morning, however.

[scythegun]

[Ah, that's...]

Of course. I'll see you then.

[He won't get up right away, though.]

[manufactured]

[He'll take his leave, then, without saying anything further; he disappears upstairs easily, and he seems content to remain behind closed doors for the rest of the evening.

Which why it's likely odd when there's a knock at Jaeger's door sometime late in the night.

Even though they've been talking more easily lately, Wesker usually tries to avoid seeking Jaeger out first; he prefers letting Jaeger come to him. But he certainly is approaching him now, albeit in an odd sort of way - the sound at the door seems awkward at best, and in actuality it's bordering on hesitant, the sort of thing that's loud enough to be heard but not enough to really be considered confident in what it's trying to accomplish.

...Yeah.]