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[He takes it gently, examining it for a moment with his head tipped slightly to the side.]

...It must have been difficult to keep this a secret.

[That's not exactly what he wants to say, but he's not really sure how to put it into words.]

Thank you for telling me about it now. I... really am sorry I couldn't help at the time.

...Again, it was nothing that I saw the need to trouble you with at the time. Not with everything else going on at the moment. It didn't break, I made sure of that much, and it all worked out well enough in the end.

Well, I'm certainly glad it didn't break! But...

[He's still not sure how to put this into words, give him a moment. He'll turn the stone a bit in his hands while he thinks, both to give himself something to do and to give him an excuse not to look at Wesker.]

...I wish you would have told me. I know you didn't want to worry me, and there might not have been anything I could do, but... I don't like thinking everything is okay when it isn't. I don't want to start assuming the worst, and I certainly don't want to start thinking that you might not be telling me things. I can understand why you didn't tell me, but it... troubles me, I suppose.

I had just died the day before we received these. And then this started happening to it - how was I supposed to take that?

[He doesn't mean for his voice to be that sharp, but it happens anyway; it's not the cold sort of tone that he'd taken back in the dream, but it is deeply agitated.]

Sometimes I don't tell you things because there are too many extenuating factors for it to be feasible, but sometimes I don't tell you things because I can't handle discussing them at the moment.

[Jaeger doesn't flinch, but his grip does tighten on the heart stone. It's not tight enough to risk breaking it or anything, and after a moment he forces himself to relax. It still takes him a bit to find the words he needs, though.]

...I'm sorry. I... don't always take that into account.

[Maybe it's because he's still self-centered, or maybe it's because he has a hard time remembering that Wesker isn't always calm. Wesker doesn't get riled as easily as he does, but it does happen, and considering the timing of events... well, it's no wonder Wesker had a difficult time handling this.]

I'll try not to let it happen again.

[That's really the most he can promise, unfortunately.]

[It gets him to settle a little, anyway; to breathe, and to try to calm himself down a bit.]

I... Well, I do admit that I try not to let you see it when I'm upset, because I don't like anyone seeing that. It's hardly your fault if you don't know.

I understand that. It's... very difficult to let people see you like that, ja?

[He's gotten better at being honest about what he's feeling with Wesker, but he still has a long way to go before he can manage it with anyone else. He's making progress with Elda, but it's very difficult...]

I know you don't want to let me see you like that, but it's not as though I'd mind it. Well, outside of worrying about you, of course, but I do plenty of that anyway.

[He finally moves to take Wesker's hand again; he'll give the stone back if you want it, but otherwise he'll just hold onto it.]

I really do want to help you, after all. In any way I can.

[It feels strange to let Jaeger handle it - that's supposed to be a part of his soul, after all - but he trusts him with it and isn't going to ask for it back if Jaeger wants to hold it for a while. He'll let him take his hand, though.]

I try not to let anyone see it, really. I've come close a few times, but I can usually control it well enough.

It isn't that I doubt you, or don't think you can help. It's just...

[He pauses for a moment; saying anything else feels like too much, but he's trying to be more open with Jaeger, they're literally just discussing how he needs to be more honest regarding his feelings, and - ]

...There are a lot of things I legitimately hate about myself, Jaeger, and I don't like anyone seeing them.

[It feels sort of nice to hold onto it, for reasons he's not sure he fully understands. He'll give it back whenever you want, but for now... Well, for now he's happy holding onto it.

Wesker's words get him to glance away for a moment before he corrects it.]

...I think I can understand that. Even if you did allow me to see it, I... doubt there's anything I could do to help.

[He hates that idea, but he's doing his best to keep his voice even.]

It doesn't change my opinion of you any, of course. I love you so much, and I know that these sorts of things weigh heavily on you. I... really do wish I could do more to help you.

...I don't handle being upset very well. You've seen it a few times.

[It tends to be distressing for everyone, so it's easier if he just doesn't.]

Yes, I know. I admittedly don't handle it very well either... I tend to get worked up far too easily, as you've seen several times...

[He does his best, his best just isn't very good.]

...It's the sudden inability to speak that I have difficulty tolerating, in my case.

[His grip tightens a bit on Wesker's hand.]

I know how much you dislike it. I can see why it would be troubling, but I've never been bothered by it.

...I know you haven't. It's still difficult to deal with, to say nothing of inconvenient.

[...It...makes him self-conscious, honestly, but that's more difficult to admit to.]

I can imagine just how frustrating it is.

[His situation obviously wasn't the same, but he's at least got some idea of what Wesker's going through.]

I'll always be right here, though. If there's ever anything I can do to help, you'll let me know, ja?

You help me by being here.

[...]

I'm...sorry. For snapping at you earlier. It isn't your fault for not realizing.

No, it's okay. I do still feel a little bad for not realizing... You're very good at hiding that sort of thing, you know.

[Or maybe he's just not as good at reading Wesker as he'd like to think he is. He doesn't like that idea.]

...To be honest, I've always been a very anxious person. It's become easier for me over the years to keep people from realizing it than it is to convey it; it's less stressful on me in general. I'm already aware that most of my behavior is abnormal as it is.

You do an excellent job of hiding it. But it's okay if you need to be anxious or stressed around me; I may not know how to help, but I certainly won't judge you for it.

Would you prefer it that way?

Yes. I want you to be able to be honest with me about anything you're feeling. I understand that you don't always want to, of course, but if you need to... I'll be here for you.

...I've been trying to be more open with you. I tell you the important things, at any rate; I don't always come to you with the pointless things, but I try to tell you what matters.

Yes, I know you have. And you've been doing a good job of it! But I don't mind if you want to come to me with pointless things too, you know. I'll always be here for you, and it's not like I mind the little things at all. It makes me really happy when I can help you!

...The pointless things are all along the lines of "I'm feeling strange for no reason." It's hardly anything I should need help with.

It's okay if you want to come to me with things like that. I can at least be a distraction! It's not something I'd mind at all, though I understand it can be difficult.

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