pokebox | we all got expectations and sometimes they go wrong

we all got expectations and sometimes they go wrong

[Jaeger knew it was a mistake to stay and fight this thing.

He had tried to get Wesker to leave, but in the end they agreed that it needed to be taken care of. If Wesker couldn't handle it, who could? So if they don't kill it, someone could get seriously hurt or killed, and it's best just to remove it from the picture now while they're here. It doesn't matter that this place is unnerving Jaeger so badly he's having a hard time shooting straight, the important thing is that this monster is taken out.

It looks like Uroboros, and the more Jaeger sees of it, the more unsteady his aim becomes. Using the sword or scythe won't work - he can't imagine getting any closer to it than he already is, and even though the rifle's shots don't seem to be doing anything, he can at least pretend to be useful from back here. Wesker's got plenty of weaponry, so surely he can find something that will damage it better than Jaeger's limited options. It's times like this he really does wish he was a better fighter, but even if he was he'd be at a severe disadvantage. Look at the size of this thing.

It's been ignoring him for the most part, focusing on Wesker and otherwise just sort of watching them with its hundreds - thousands? - of eyes. The mechanical sounds continue in the background and it's all so oppressive Jaeger can barely think. But he's trying his best to maintain his focus, because even though he's damn near useless, he could never turn and run and leave Wesker to face this alone.

One of his shots is a lucky one - he hits a particularly large eye dead on and the blast causes it to sink in further to the disgusting mass, no longer working. Immediately, all the other remaining eyes turn on Jaeger. There's something absolutely horrifying at having all of them look directly at you, and Jaeger freezes on the spot, rifle still at the ready like he's going to take another shot. He knows he should - or better yet, he should move, but he can't seem to will himself to do either.

The mass of eyes doesn't move, but an equally horrifying appendage of tentacles (also filled with eyes, of course) swings around and then straight ahead, with the intention of impalement on the sharp pieces of metal imbued toward the end of the writhing mass. If it hits, Jaeger won't survive, and he's all too aware of that. It's only then that he starts to move, and it's far too late for him to get away.]

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[Jaeger's grip tightens again before he forces himself to relax it a bit. He doesn't want to hurt Wesker anymore, but he's certainly not letting go.]

G-Good. I... I love you, Albert. And I... You saved me. I don't... I don't know if I can ever thank you enough for it.

[He can feel himself starting to slip a bit; it's not something he's unfamiliar, sliding into that sense of blank nonexistence that implies that everything is starting to shut down; he tips his head back against the wall, trying to force himself to keep breathing, to focus on what Jaeger is saying, but it's...difficult, in a way that he doesn't like.

He tries to say something in response, to find words and force them out, but they don't want to come; he can't say they'd be coherent even if they did. After a while he just...gives up, offering a vague, brief sound that's probably more pained than anything, but he does nod a bit. He's...listening, he knows.]

[The sound worries him, and he moves a bit closer, his grip tightening again on Wesker's hand. He doesn't try to relax his grip this time.]

It... It's going to be okay. I promise, it's going to be okay. No matter wh-what happens...

[His voice shakes far more than he wants it to, but he can't stop it now.]

[He can feel it coming on again, that sense of slipping, that he's not going to be awake for much longer

(that he's not going to be alive for much longer)

and despite himself his grip loosens again against Jaeger's; it's getting so hard to focus, so hard to breathe, and it would be so much easier to just stop trying.

But he needs to try to stay here, to keep telling himself that he can recover even if some part of him knows that he can't; it's...too much, his body can't handle it, and he tenses up again a bit as his nerves fire off again, the pain barely registering anymore even though he knows it's there.

He's...trying, but it's obvious it's not going well.]

[Jaeger releases a shaky breath and raises a hand. He reaches out and runs his hand through Wesker's hair gently.]

I'm right here. I'm... I'm right here, and I won't leave. Ever. S-So don't... Don't worry, okay? It'll... It'll be fine.

[He wants to promise that, but he can't.]

[The hand in his hair gets a soft noise out of him; not enough to really constitute a proper response, but enough to indicate that he knows Jaeger is there.

It's all he manages to give before his body gives out on him.

He draws another few labored, difficult breaths before everything just...stops; he's vaguely aware that Jaeger has said something to him, but he has no comprehension of what. He passes out hard, all consciousness leaving him and sending his grip against Jaeger's hand oddly slack; after another few moments, his breathing stops entirely.]

[His breath catches when Wesker stops breathing. His grip tightens on Wesker's hand and it takes him several long moments before he's able to speak up.]

Albert... I...

[What is he going to say now that Wesker's...

No, he doesn't have anything to say. He can't find words, no matter how hard he tries, so instead he ducks his head and cries. It's full-body shaking sobbing and he can't stop, but how could he ever stop? His husband is dead.]

[Overall, the virus is very, very efficient.

Wesker is gone, certainly, and for the time being he's going to have to stay that way; it's to Progenitor's benefit, however, to ensure that he isn't like that for too long. As soon as he dies it's already prioritizing; some things, bluntly put, are more important than others. Processing the blood that's filled his abdominal cavity, and healing the source of it so it doesn't just continue to seep all over; sealing and repressurizing and ensuring tat he'll be able to breathe as quickly as possible. Ensuring that he won't take brain damage from a lack of blood and oxygen, repairing anything that's too far gone to fix just by restoring blood flow...

It's complex work - but again, the virus is efficient in ways that human medicine could never be.

It takes about five minutes total for him to start breathing again. For his brain to tell his heart to restart, for another of those soft, vaguely pained noises to leave him. Because there is still pain; the process is efficient, but it isn't perfect.]

[To be honest, Jaeger is in no position to realize that Wesker's body is healing itself. He's certainly known that Wesker can heal himself after death, but it hasn't occurred to him that Wesker could come back. It seems so final, so permanent...

And then suddenly he's breathing again and there's noise, and Jaeger's gasping.]

Albert! Albert!

[His hand tightens on Wesker's and he resumes running his hand through Wesker's hair, desperately now.]

[...Oh, that's...]

...Jaeger...?

[It's quiet and it's breathless but at least it's something, even if he doesn't seem to be responding very well physically yet.]

Albert!

[It gets something that might be a laugh from him, the sound short and breathless and he knows better than to move Wesker, but he wants to hold Wesker so badly.]

You're— You're back, you're here... Oh, Albert...

[The same breathless little laugh occurs again and his grip tightens on Wesker's hand once more.]

[He'll shift a bit after a moment, pressing a little closer.]

I promised I would always come back to you.

[It's easier than his words were before he died; he seems to be breathing far better, at least.]

I'm... I'll be all right now. Enough of it has healed, anyway... The rest is just recovery.

I know. I know you did...

[He presses closer as well, nuzzling against Wesker.]

I was just... I was so worried...

[He'll return it, all right, albeit kind of awkwardly.]

...I didn't mean to upset you like that. I...tried not to black out.

No, no, it's okay! It's not your fault!

I'm just... I'm so relieved...

[He'll resume running his hand through Wesker's hair again now that he's settled a bit.]

[That feels nice...]

Was I gone long...?

No, not at all! Only a few minutes.

[He says it like it's no big deal, but it was a really bad few minutes...]

That's what I thought.

[...]

...Are you going to be all right?

Yes. Yes, of course I will be.

[He shifts a bit so he can run his sleeve across his eyes.]

Sorry, I don't want to worry you. I promise I'm okay.

[honey...]

...I know it's upsetting, Jaeger, it's all right.

It... Yes. But it's okay, you're fine, you're healing, and you'll be okay.

[He nuzzles his husband again.]

Yes, of course.

[He'll return it, okay.]

...I just didn't want that thing to hit you.

Of course not. It would have...

[...He doesn't want to think about that.]

Thank you. It means so much to me that you saved me.

Of course I saved you. There's a far greater chance that I would ultimately survive what happened, after all.

[...Ah. There's the usual pragmatism.]

That's not to say I would have simply allowed you to be harmed otherwise, but still.

[He runs his hand through Wesker's hair again, smiling.]

Don't worry, I know. But still, you put yourself in danger for me, and I can't thank you enough for it. I love you, so much, Albert.

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