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[...]

I understand. I have one more question for you, then. I apologize, I'm sure this sounds very stupid, but I want to make sure...

You won't do anything because of this, ja? You'll still look out for yourself, won't you?

[He doesn't think Wesker will do anything stupid, but he needs to hear the answer for some reason he doesn't fully understand.]

[He actually does look away at that; it takes him a moment to answer.]

...Regardless of what I believe I deserve, there are several things that would stand in the way of acting on anything like that. I still don't have all of the answers I'm seeking, for one thing; I've decided that I'm going to see that through, regardless of how unpleasant those answers are in the end.

I also won't...

[And there's where the words seem to die on him a bit, settling back into the usual odd pattern of freezing up while he tries to get them to cooperate; he shakes his head for a moment before he continues.]

...I understand how badly that would upset you, and I'm not going to do that to you.

I won't do anything because of this. If not for my own sake, then for those reasons, at least.

[The tension leaves Jaeger all at once and normally he'd shake his head and laugh it off because of course Wesker wouldn't do anything like that. Of course he wouldn't.

But he doesn't laugh, instead he just nods, his smile subdued.]

Thank you. I can't really express just how much it means to me to hear that, but I truly appreciate it. I don't want anything to happen to you, Albert.

[It's a little late for that sentiment given the memories Wesker's been getting back, but he's trying.]

[...And we're getting back into territory that he doesn't really know what to do with, good lord.]

I'll do what I can to ensure that nothing does, then. I can't guarantee anything, however - you know how I am.

[Like, he's going to be fine until we're facing some horrible monster down and he decides it's shaped like a friend and tries to pet it or something, because his fear response is stupid and doesn't work.]

[Please don't pet the monsters!!]

Ja, I know. But that's what I'm here for! As long as I'm by your side, I'm sure things will work out!

[Or we'll both die horribly, either or!!]

I'm hardly going to complain about that particular arrangement, you know.

[He likes you where you are, with regards to that.]

Good, I'm glad! I'd be disappointed if you started complaining now!

[But that seems to have settled him back to his usual level of cheer. He's still worried about Wesker, but he seems to be doing well enough, so...]

May I request something of you, though? Will you tell me if those dreams get worse or if you start feeling worse off about all of this?

[...Ah.

That does get him to hesitate, honestly.]

...Perhaps. There are still some things I don't think I can tell you.

Because you don't want to talk about them?

Because there are things you can't tell people in good conscience.

[...]

I know some of it will trouble you, besides.

Oh. Well, I don't necessarily mind that, you know. If you ever do want to talk about it someday... But I won't press.

[He just wants Wesker to be as okay as he can be, given the circumstances.]

[That just gets further hesitation out of him, really, before he just kind of...presses on with it; he's already seen Excella, after all, and keeping parts of this in his head has been getting increasingly difficult, and- ]

...I know I've done that to at least two other people. What I did to her. Deliberately infecting them with something that's going to get a result like that.

[Ohhhhh boy. You really were a great guy, huh.]

...I see... I'm so sorry, Albert.

[That you've been getting memories like this in the first place and that you've had to deal with this all on your own.]

Did they become monsters like her?

She was with me for one of them. We were watching it from an observation deck of some sort; I think the person was just...someone we were experimenting on. I don't remember feeling anything at all toward them.

The second was...

[He stops himself. Shakes his head.]

...It was bad for other reasons.

[How does Wesker manage to talk about these things so simply? Jaeger's not sure he could ever deal with something like this.]

I won't ask any more. Thank you for sharing this much with me. I really do appreciate it. I may not be able to do anything to make this any easier, but I can listen, at least.

In a way, I suppose, it's better to talk about it - I would prefer you hear it from me than find out the hard way, if this is the sort of stunt Retrospec is going to be pulling nowadays.

[That said, he isn't volunteering any more information outright, either.]

I don't know if you'll see anything else. I hope you don't, for several reasons.

Well, I won't lie, some part of me hopes I don't either! That was a bit of an exhausting dream, ja?

[...]

But if I do wind up seeing more, I'll do my best to help you through it. I can't guarantee that it'll be quite as successful as what we pulled off today, but I'm here to help!

[...]

Thank you, by the way. For helping me with that.

[And for not letting him just die to end it.]

You're welcome! I'll always do what I can for you!

...Besides, I didn't want you to die, even if it was just a dream.

[......]

It was good of you to talk me out of it.

[Whether he deserves it or not, he...doesn't really want to die, either, if he's honest with himself.]

[Oh...]

Of course, Albert. I'll always be here for that, if you ever need it again.

[ c: ]

[He wants to tell him that that won't be necessary, but - they're trying to be honest about these things, Jaeger wants him to say something if it's bad, and this...well.]

...I may need that at some point, then. Not now, but...sometime in the future.

[If - no, when he gets more terrible memories back. Jaeger understands.]

Of course. I'll always do my best to be here for you. It frustrates me that I can't promise I always will be.

[Because if things really do go south and they end up becoming more and more like their past selves, they probably won't be able to stand each other.]

[That seems to go a long way toward relaxing him, though, despite the way that ended; the shift is visible.]

I understand why. And that's all I'll ask of you, then.

[It's something he's said before, in the dream and otherwise, but he does mean it every time - Jaeger is doing more than enough, as far as he's concerned.]

Are you going to be all right...?

[He's glad to hear it and the relief is obvious. It still takes him a moment to respond to the question, because he has his immediate answer, and then he's got the correct answer.]

I think I will be! It was just sort of a lot today, ja? Will you be okay too?

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