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How long do you think this will last?

[He could always come over next weekend... No, he's here now and he wants to stay. A little bit of mind-reading isn't going to change that.]

I've no idea - I've noticed a few strange sound-based things over the past few days, but this one is new.

[...God, and Jaeger wanted to discuss some particularly unpleasant topics with him - ]

This isn't going to impact anything, regarding this weekend. If that's what you're concerned about.

...Are you sure?

[I still want to know about your past, but this could pose a problem.]

[Oh, that's...]

...I'll be fine. It doesn't bother me to talk about it.

[...He doesn't seem aware that he's answering the thought rather than the question specifically, but that is distracting, all right.]

[Oh. That's. Hmm. He's not sure how he feels about Wesker responding to his thoughts instead of what he actually said. It's sort of unnerving? But it does get right to the point, which is helpful.]

Only if you're sure. I wouldn't want to press you into talking about it.

[Though if Wesker really didn't want to talk, he wouldn't talk.]

I did tell you that I would. I can't promise that I can tell you everything, depending on what you want to know, because there's a fair amount that I don't remember. But it's as I've said - you already know enough that I see no harm in telling you the rest.

[I trust you with it.]

[Oh, that's... really nice to see.

Thank you.]

What happened, then? Before you were adopted by your father, I mean.

Most of my early memories are...strange. It's likely that I was brought here from another country at some point, because there's no information regarding who I could have been stateside - so it was assumed by the authorities that I likely came from somewhere else. I don't know for sure, myself.

I know I spent a lot of time in cars and hotels, with a man I don't remember very well. My earlier memories all involve that sort of thing - the knowledge that we couldn't stay in one place very long, that we had to keep moving before we were found. [That I had to stay quiet, or everything would go to hell and it would be my fault. That he'd make sure I'd stay quiet if I didn't do it on my own - ]

He wasn't very kind to me - [hit me until I was unconscious or shut up, whichever came first, said that it would be my fault if something bad happened to me, told me I would be taken away and never see my family again] - but he seemed to want to keep me around for some reason I'm sure only he understands. [I think he was my biological father? That would make sense... Either way, he got what he wanted, eventually, after a while the reactions he didn't like stopped and so did the fear.

He glances upwards at that, to check to see if the text is still there; if his thoughts are going to keep presenting themselves...well, it's easier that way than trying to explain it.

I don't know what happened after that, exactly. He just disappeared one day. Perhaps he was arrested for something else, perhaps he picked a fight with the wrong person, perhaps he finally drank himself to death. I don't know, and I don't care.

I don't remember where we were staying at the time that he vanished - I think it was some sort of apartment. I just know I was alone for six days. I was five years old. The authorities found me eventually. They took me into the system and renamed me because they couldn't find any information on me or where I had come from, and I couldn't tell them. I continued to be unable to speak for about five years after that. It was well after I was adopted, at any rate.]

[Jaeger finds himself glancing up when the first text appears and soon enough he's waiting for the next thought without realizing it. It's not that he's not listening to Wesker; quite the opposite, really. He's absolutely captivated.

Occasionally his own thoughts appear, though they're usually along the lines of Oh my god or why wasn't he caught or even I'm so sorry, Albert, nothing of any substance that really adds to Wesker's story but appears briefly as Wesker's thoughts keep going.

This explains a lot.]

I can only imagine what that must have been like. I'm sorry to hear all of that. I think I understand you a bit better now.

[At the very least he understands why Wesker goes quiet, especially during something like that incident with that monster.]

[He notices Jaeger's thoughts as they crop up, but they're brief and not anything that he finds distracting; he...really does seem fine despite the subject matter, if a bit quieter than he usually is.]

...As I've said. It's fine now, and it isn't as though I remember it very well besides.

[There's another pause, before -

It's good that you understand; it's important to me, that means a great deal. Thank you.]

[That gets him to glance away for a moment, genuinely pleased with the praise. But...

I wish I knew what to say. I wish I could do more for you.]

...You're a very strong person, Albert. I'm very glad that you're doing okay despite all of that.

[You're doing enough.]

The rest of my life has been good. So I had a rough start, and perhaps it changed how I handle things sometimes - it hardly matters anymore. I'm doing well enough for myself, anyway.

Ja, you are!

[He settles a bit once that's out there, though.]

...Thank you for telling me. I imagine that must have been difficult to talk about.

[Which would be why he didn't say all of it aloud.]

...You're the only person I've told.

[At least in its entirety. So yeah.]

[Oh... That's not really surprising, but it's still sort of nice to hear for some reason.]

...Thank you for trusting me with it. Obviously I won't tell anyone.

If I thought you would tell anyone, I wouldn't have told you.

[...Well, that was. Blunt. Honest, but blunt.]

You really don't have to concern yourself with doing anything for me, you know. I've taken care of myself for years - you don't have to worry about me.

I know I don't! But it's a little hard to stop once I've gotten started!

[I don't mind it, though. Not when it's for you.]

[That's...

He doesn't know what to do with that particular thought and it's obvious; he glances away once he's seen it, the gesture fairly obvious even with the glasses on.]

...If you say so, then.

[What the hell is he supposed to do with you.]

[He does notice that and he glances up in time to catch the thought disappearing. Jaeger sighs, looking somewhat put out.]

I do, yes. I didn't mean to make things awkward with that.

[A gesture to where the thought was being displayed above his head.]

Well, I suppose I'm flattered by it.

[...awkward as hell, yes, but it could be worse, and the sentiment is...well, it's something, anyway.]

You should be! I wouldn't extend that to anyone else!

[That's easier to respond to, at least.]

So you've told me.

[Oh, good, the status quo is restoring itself.]

[It's good to have everything back to normal!!]

Ja, of course! It's worth repeating though!

...It seems this is going to be an interesting weekend.

[Given the fucking inability to keep our thoughts to ourselves.]

That's one way to put it! I'm not sure "interesting" is the word I'd use to describe it.

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