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[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.]

I know. And I'll be here if you need me.

[He squeezes Wesker's hand again, as if to reassure him of that.]

[...]

What about you...? Have you been all right lately?

[It's something of a graceless topic change, but it isn't as though they've had a lot of time to talk lately.]

I've been...

[His free hand hovers over the blastia for a moment and Jaeger forces it back down. There's no sense in lying.]

...Well, I've been better. Any problems I've had I've been able to ignore because of our work. But that's not really a good way of handling anything, ja?

[...Oh.]

...I understand, I think. It's how I've been handling things as well, for the past month or so.

[It's why he jumped at the opportunity to go so shortly after he'd died.]

Talk to me...?

[Yeah. He understands entirely...]

Well, I don't really know where to begin. There have been two things bothering me lately, I suppose. The blastia is always on my mind and sometimes it's hard to focus on other things. But that's not the one I'm really concerned about. It's going to take me a long time to truly get used to the blastia, I know that.

[...]

I'm more worried about... Well, about your death. I... haven't really thought about it much, honestly. I try not to think about it at all. It... it really scares me.

[He lets his grip tighten on Jaeger's hand; after a moment he shifts a bit, letting his free hand run through Jaeger's hair lightly. The motion is awkward and hesitant, but at least it's an attempt.]

What about it is scaring you so badly...?

[The question is gentle; he suspects he has an idea, but he wants to hear it from Jaeger before making any assumptions about it.]

[He'll lean into that immediately, and some of the tension leaves him.]

It just... it happened so suddenly. There wasn't any warning whatsoever and if this had happened earlier... well, you wouldn't have been able to come back. I know that's a silly thing to be stuck on when it didn't happen, but...

[But he's stuck on it anyway.]

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