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...I suppose.

[It's awkward? But like he said, it was nice as well.]

I think it's a good thing.

[And it's good that Wesker hasn't regained any horrifying memories lately. It's nice that he can have something good, even if it's a little questionable.]

Did you remember anything else?

...A few more things about my experiments; a few more things about Chris and Jill. Something about Birkin that you would absolutely hate.

[He shrugs a bit.]

...Well, now I have to ask. What's the thing with Birkin that I'd absolutely hate?

...Are you certain? It manages to be worse than the leech.

[THE LEECH WAS SOMEHOW NOT THE WORST THING...]

There's something worse than the leech? Well now I need to know!

...If you insist.

[His tone is incredibly clear, however - Don't tell him he didn't warn you that it would be terrible.

That said, he gets up easily, making his way back to the desk and finding one of the journals he keeps records of his memories in; he'll move over to the couch one he's found it, paging through it after gesturing vaguely to Jaeger - come on, join him over here if you want to.]

I was correct in assuming that Birkin would be assassinated by the corporation we worked for. I had already "died" once, and so I couldn't expose myself as still alive by doing anything about it; besides, I was operating under the assumption that Birkin knew this would be the only logical outcome, and yet he chose to stay behind anyway instead of coming with me.

However, I did return to recover his body after he'd died. He'd...undergone some changes.

[He manages to find what he was looking for; the drawing is incredibly sketchy-looking in quality, but it's...well, uh.

"He'd undergone some changes" is putting it lightly. Dear god. That said, he'll pass it over to Jaeger to let him take a look.]

I told you that some of us undergo physical mutations. Like Sergei, or that other woman I remembered. This was his, apparently.

It was the size of a large vehicle, incidentally.

[...He was a slug made of body parts that was approximately the size of a fucking bus.]

[He'll join Wesker on the couch, of course. He's not leaning on him or anything, but he is sitting pretty close, as he usually does. Jaeger's quiet while Wesker explains and sketches, but it doesn't take him long to realize that he's absolutely not going to like where this is going.]

...Why.

[Ohhhhhh my god he was not prepared, he was not prepared at all.]

Or maybe a better question is how.

Some sort of virus, presumably. I'm fairly sure that's why I wanted to recover his body; it certainly wasn't through respect or the goodness of my heart.

That's... Well, I'm not surprised by that. Still, to become something like this...

[It's super gross? Yikes. Here you go, you can have your drawing back.]

[He'll take it back, closing the journal and setting it aside for now.]

...I suspect that most of us with that sort of ability die like that.

[You know, hideously mutated and nowhere near human anymore.]

...I see.

[He has to wonder if Wesker mutated into something that grotesque before his death...]

Does that idea bother you any?

...Yes.

[It's hesitant, slightly, but it's honest.]

From what I understand, it's a voluntary choice; something we do as a last-ditch effort, perhaps, because we have nothing to lose. Or perhaps because we simply like the power - that seems to be the case for some that I've seen. So it's not anything that we're forced into.

At the same time, it...bothers me, yes.

[Jaeger nods at that.]

I can certainly see where it would. The idea bothers me too, honestly! I can't really say I understand doing it for power, but I suppose I've never experienced anything like that before. It sort of frightens me a bit, actually.

[It's good that Wesker's bothered by it, though. He'd be a bit worried if Wesker wasn't.]

Theoretically, it should be something that I can do now. Since the virus is active.

[He's shaking his head a bit as he says it, though; it's obvious that the idea makes him nervous, it's audible in his words.]

I won't. Even back then, I suspect I didn't want to; it's...

[He trails off, though; shakes his head again.]

[Jaeger doesn't hesitate, he holds out a hand for Wesker. As much as he wants to hug on him, he's not going to spring that on Wesker now.]

I know you won't. It's a bit terrifying, ja?

Yes.

[He'll accept Jaeger's hand with minimal hesitation this time; he appreciates the gesture, anyway, even if anything more during this particular discussion would bother him too badly and he knows it.]

...I'll be fine. It's simply something that I didn't realize was bothering me, that's all.

That's okay, sometimes these things happen! I think it's good that you're aware of it.

[He squeezes Wesker's hand at that.]

I'll always be here if you ever want to talk about it.

I know you will. And the same is true for me as well, of course.

[...]

I know I've been distant lately, but I do want to be here for you.

[That gets his grip on Wesker's hand to tighten; he doesn't want to let go.]

I've noticed. I hoped things would settle back into normalcy now that we're back home.

[...]

Is something wrong? Are you okay?

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

I'm fine. The information we found toward the end of the expedition troubled me somewhat, admittedly. But it's nothing that I won't be able to manage; it's just given me something to think about.

[It was entirely too close to Spencer.]

Otherwise, it's just been a matter of adjusting to everything, I suppose.

If you want to discuss it, I'll listen.

[But this might be something Wesker needs to work through on his own, so he won't press.]

I understand. We certainly did spend a long time away from home! I'm glad to be back.

Likewise.

[Like. God, it's nice to be back.]

As for the information...it struck me as being too close to the old man's way of doing things. And my own, I suppose, back then. There was so much emphasis on who deserved to be saved and who didn't, it was unsettling.

You're right, there was a lot of emphasis on that. I certainly don't blame you for finding it unsettling. I'm sorry that it had to hit so close to home on a point like that.

...It's still something I'm working on.

[He's. Trying? He doesn't know.]

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