Story: Zirconia

Chapter Nineteen: Steps

"Seemingly minor yet persistent things penetrate the mind over time making it difficult to ever realize the impact; hence, though quite unfortunate, the most dangerous forms of corruption are those that are subtle and below the radar."

― Criss Jami, Salomé: In Every Inch In Every Mile

Wesker -

"Chris will never put up with this, he'll find her and kill you like he should have years ago." The seething words hissed free of the blonde chained to the basement wall the moment I'd returned to my lab. I laughed at her venom.

"Ah Valentine, you and your partner always were several steps behind." I remarked, moving past her fruitless struggle against the bonds toward the small medical safe that held her next dose of P30. "You think I forced Claire here against her will?"

I enjoyed the slight widening of her eyes, the twitch of her lips downward as she stared at my remark. The surprise lasted only a moment before the frown took place and her brows furrowed in displeasure. I could see the moment she convinced herself it was a lie and laughed again when she opened her mouth. I slid the drug into a centrifuge to help prepare it and leaned back to eye my part time slave as it spun.

"Liar." She looked confused at my mirth matched with her accusation.

"Difficult for you to comprehend that she chose this? To come here with me." I chuckled at the irony. "It doesn't matter if you accept the truth, facts don't change based on belief."

"Advice you should give yourself. No one could ever love you, monster." She bit out hatefully. The respectful tone of our STARS days long gone. Proof her body had worked through the P30 faster than the last time, I'd have to find a better dosage that would control her or this would tank her liver and kidneys.

"Even I question the wisdom of her choice, but I won't deny that we have an attraction." I remarked, noting a few vitals for my research while I waited for the drug to be prepared. Shifting my gaze to her narrowed glare with the next comment. "You'd be shocked to learn we've been sleeping together for years I imagine."

Again, the raise of brows and even a slight shake of her head. Denial ran strong with the old team. "No way, you're planning to use her somehow. You have some other plot in mind."

"I always have more plots in mind." I shrugged at the accusation, there was little reason to deny it. I did still have to inoculate Claire more if I wanted her to adjust to Uruborus when I released the virus into the atmosphere. Well, once I finally got it stable enough. At the moment, it was too chaotic, but I'd shape it up soon. Into something that would move the world forward. That would evolve humanity past the suburban monotony people had accepted as life. I would sit on the world as a god, but Claire would be joining me.

I'd largely decided it should be individual genetic makeup that would save or condemn humanity. Only those with the proper genes should enter this new and better world. Claire though, I was willing to jimmy the system for her. Only a handful of people had earned that privilege.

"She'll realize what you are soon enough, come to her senses." Valentine goaded. "You think she'll just accept you...the things you've done, that you do. Eventually we'll meet up, and I'll tell her what you've done to me."

"Doubtful." I replied confidently, finishing my notes and picking up the mixed drug to walk back to Jill and pull her shirt down enough that I could see the scarab we'd inserted in her skin, the small area where I could inject more of the drug that would keep her obedient. "You'll meet her eventually, but by then, you'll be much more compliant to keeping me happy, pet."

"Fat chance asshole." She snapped. I canted my head to the side, frowning at the spit that landed on my shoulder.

"Bad dog." I commented, slamming her back into the wall with a force she couldn't predict or withstand. I knew it would push the air from her lungs, stun her enough that I could inject the drug before she could offer more resistance. "Don't worry, you'll learn not to bite the hand that feeds you. Won't you, pet?"

"Y...yes, sir…" Her words were uneven and her tone broken. Jumping between neutral acceptance of orders and the hatred at her core fighting against them. She agreed to my comment even as she barely shook her head to silently deny it.

"Good, now behave yourself. No more spitting, I was never fond of breeds that slobbered." I commented as I reached up to release her restraints. "I have a job for you coming up in Kijiku, I need you to use the computer to research the area. Become familiar with the layout. If you start to feel any level of control, no matter how minor, lock yourself up in the safe house there."

"Yes, sir." Her tone was quiet now, the last of her resistance having faded with the new dose of P30. I'd get the small bugs worked out soon enough that let her bark so loudly. She walked off to look at the computer as I'd requested. I smirked after her. Sure, Claire wouldn't appreciate Jill as a slave, but as a person I saved and that sadly never really got her mind back after the accident she could accept.

I finally had Claire Redfield, but I knew I had to tread certain lines if I wanted to keep her. She wouldn't approve of my final plan, but once it happened she would have little choice but to accept the new reality. I'd be the only shoulder she could reliably cry on, she was unlikely to walk away even if she abhorred my past. She hadn't thus far. Though, keeping Claire under control and out of the eyes of Gionne until the plan was fully put into place was the real difficulty.

I unfortunately needed Gionne and she wasn't likely to continue to play nicely if she believed I was interested in another woman. She was a gross requirement of the goal. Akin to working with chemicals that smelled horribly, but were the requirements of a final mixture. I could stomach her attraction for the full access to Tricell databases and researchers. It wasn't pretty, but sacrifices had to be made.

While Claire was still being inoculated I needed to keep Gionne unaware of where my heart actually lay. Which made bringing her to 'the office' difficult at best. I'd need other methods to engage her time and Valentine would be one of those. She wouldn't even want to resist orders to keep Claire safe in my absence. I simply had to get her system working to the point that she never was able to talk back to me in the way she just had. It was going to take much of my time when I wasn't with Claire. I'd manage, I barely slept these days and she was worth the added effort.

After Muller, I hadn't figured to ever find another human worth my time. I'd never really thought I'd care about someone in the same way. Claire had somehow gone beyond that. I didn't feel as most people did, I didn't let it affect me as they did. I still felt though, and that was a rarity since my rebirth. I wasn't willing to give her up. Claire was fire and life and grace. She was a beauty of the world that didn't need to be manufactured in a lab, and I would make sure she lasted, possibly even improved.

I had a hypothesis that my connection to her was a result of our relationship just before my death. It was possible, but that knowledge didn't mean much when it came to want. I desired her, she activated every pleasure of my brain even when we weren't physical. She picked me over that half-wit brother, over the STARS members, over everything. Knowing what I was, that everyone else considered me a monster she still chose me. Why she cared? I hadn't the faintest clue. It was that she did that mattered.

Nothing about me screamed the sort of person that Claire Redfield should want to be with. I wasn't a philanthropist; I'd only donated money to her charity for her benefit, not for anyone else's; she knew that. To her I was a villain, a terrorist, a traitor...but she kept returning despite that. She kept insisting there was more to her feelings than the physical attraction we shared. I still wasn't sure how good of an idea this was, bringing her close to me.

I didn't lie. I could protect her better now than during the events years ago. I could do much if I desired it. If I deigned to get personally involved there was little I couldn't accomplish. I worried far less for her safety now than I did then. It wasn't her safety that was my concern these days so much as her mentality. I hated to admit it, but I didn't want her to hate me. I wasn't sure if her admiration would last through what I had planned. I would keep her near me, safe, something beyond human. She would evolve...she would survive even if many may not, and the cost could be I might lose her. At least she'd be around, she'd be one of the better members of mankind. Her presence could only help the world I had planned even if she hated me when we reached it.

I rubbed my face, shaking my head to dismiss the hesitation. I had no room for regrets or even entertaining shadows of doubt. There was too much that was to come. Uroborus wouldn't allow for half-steps. If I wanted to evolve mankind, then I couldn't let such human sentiments influence me. I am a god, I'm beyond such limitations. I am merely making certain I can showcase those parts of the world I find beautiful. I would find methods to distract her until it was time to bring the world into a new era. To launch humanity past the stagnation of the last several centuries.

I had work to do…

Wesker - (About a week or so later)

The subtle warmth of flesh beneath my fingers wasn't an inspiration to open my eyes. I drew circles with my fingers over the smooth skin of her thigh as consciousness returned. I appreciated waking in the morning tangled up in more than sheets. The scent of her shampoo saturating the pillows. It'd been nearly a week, and we had spent a large portion of her waking hours making up for the lost nights we'd had the past few years. Still physical, as we often were…

I recognized she was still working up the courage to ask about more than mundane things. We'd discussed favorites; hobbies, food, television, and so on. We'd even talked about preferred weather. All things that were easy, that didn't involve work, family, or politics. I knew it wouldn't last, that she'd eventually want more information, she'd dive past it in more than off remarks about past relationships. She'd actually seek out details eventually. I wondered just how much honesty she wanted…

She let out an incoherent mumble whose tone was far from consent when my hand drifted further between her legs. I withdrew at the groan to let her rest, she needed more sleep than I did. Just as well since I expected work would fall behind otherwise. I leaned up on an elbow, propping my head to watch her breath lightly. Her red hair splayed out around her in a mess not entirely of her own making. She leaned closer when I started to disentangle myself and I smirked despite myself.

"I have work to do, dear heart." I murmured when she set an arm over me to pause my retreat from the bed.

"...eep? Stay bed." She was still far from coherent, her words weren't much better.

"As charming as your cave woman protests are, you can sleep without me here." I remarked, though I hadn't moved to get up again. This was an aspect of her I hadn't gotten to see much of since we largely were always in a rush in most of our years together. There hadn't been many chances to wake up and lounge.

"Not as comfy." Claire insisted groggily, turning to get a better hold of my side and curl her head into my chest.

"Tempting as it is to play furniture for you, these are things that need to be finished now that we've relocated." I felt her stiffen slightly at the reminder that we had made the trip to an Africian safe house I had near Lagos. I'd have to do work at the facility near Kijiku so this would let me spend time with her at all. Though I would still need to work soon. As it was Gionne was going to be displeased at the time I'd taken off at such a critical junction. "You can stay asleep. I don't expect you to keep to my schedule."

"No. I should get up." She moaned the words, obviously not wanting them to become reality. "If you have to leave soon I'd rather spend time with you."

"You won't be spending a lot of time with me if I am working downstairs." I pointed out, leaning down to kiss her head as she finally relented and let go of my side. I settled the blanket over her. "Rest a few more hours and then I'll wake you, with breakfast if I can get the timing right."

"You're going to spoil me." She commented, but let her eyes close again as I tucked her back in.

"I hope so." I answered without really considering it. I actually enjoyed taking care of her like this. It was nice to know she felt the same. I left her to rest and went to get ready for the day, a bit unsure how to take the realization I wanted to do more than just keep her safe...that I wanted her happy…

Claire -

How could he manage to sleep so little?

It had to be the weird change to his body after he was 'reborn'.

My mind wasn't ready to try to think about the complicated non-definition of what Wesker was or wasn't on a deeper level.

I was exhausted, we'd barely slept three hours when he got up, I got another few before I noticed it was after eight in the morning and forced myself up for a shower. Normally six hours would be enough, but we'd been very active lately and I'd been using my energy. I swallowed slightly at the memories of the last few days. We'd definitely not really pushed past the idea that our relationship was mostly physical. Then, we hadn't only had sex. We had a few conversations, but I'd been a little nervous to push after the way he'd dropped me so readily years ago.

I knew that this was different, that this time he'd come for me. My subconscious was aware that the conversations that implied a sense of normalcy were smokescreens for the truth of his life. The root of him and what he did to the world. He wasn't a good person...he wasn't even a neutral one. I knew he was bad, that what he did was horrible...but that didn't change how I felt about him. I sighed at my eternally rotating problem and got out of the shower to dry off and finish getting ready. I needed to ask him what he was working so hard on. I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to know, but I could start with something easier like what he was doing at that castle months ago when Jill died. Was it related to the same job?

The smell of meat was inviting, and I knew my way to the kitchen now. I grinned at Wesker as I slipped inside, it was always sort of nice to see him cooking. It gave him a down to earth aspect he often lacked. I supposed I figured no one rich or influential would do things like prepare food for themselves or do their own laundry. The first day I'd seen him with a basket of clothes I had laughed. One just didn't connect Albert Wesker and the use of fabric softener.

"Morning." He remarked without looking up. I guessed he could sense me somehow given I never seemed to take him by surprise. "Should be ready soon, couldn't sleep?"

"I just felt like it was time to get up." I replied, walking past him to look in the fridge and grab juice since he hadn't poured any yet. I got him a glass as well, getting used to his habits. It wasn't unlike other mornings we'd spent together, both now and in the few times in the past. "You said you were leaving soon and I wanted to ask you some things."

"Such as?" He glanced over a shoulder toward me. His sunglasses were in place, he even wore them regularly around places he lived.

"A lot of things, but let's start with why you still wear your sunglasses inside your own house." I figured I'd work toward more complicated discussions like possible bio-terror threats.

"Habit I suppose." He answered after a moment, turning the bacon over. "I've been wearing them so long it can be uncomfortable without them."

"I can see that." I nodded thoughtfully, a little disappointed my attempt to avoid more serious topics had been brushed by so swiftly. "So, um...are you working on something I could help with?"

"Subtle." He commented with a side glance, eyes visible just above the glasses a moment before he pushed them back up, shaking his head at me. "I doubt you want to be of service to the sort of work I do, Claire. Are you even certain you wish to know what it is?"

"Well, I think given it takes so much of your time I deserve to know." I reasoned. "It's why you aren't here. I guess that would be easier if I thought it was for a good cause."

"Perspective can be tricky in that way." He replied as he dished up the food. "If I told you what I was working on, you would lose any option to leave."

"Well, I already told you I want to be here." I answered, offering a nod of thanks for the plate when he set it down. "I made that choice, and even if you aren't doing work I agree with, I'd rather know and be stuck than be left to my imagination."

"It's been a week. Your opinion might alter when you're here without me, stuck far from friends or family." He pointed out reasonably. "I'd rather this not turn into kidnapping."

"I think it should be my choice." I returned, pointing my fork at him and frowning at his nonchalance. "You act like it's so simple to just compartmentalize everything, but it's not."

"I'm not certain what this has to do with compartmentalizing anything." His lips canted downward slightly at my comments. "I think taking our time is a logical course. We're each testing new waters with this arrangement."

"Yes, but I've already been here almost a week and I haven't been trying to contact anyone on the outside. Hell, if you have a phone or internet connection I wouldn't even know where it was." I pointed out defensively. "I think I deserve a little more trust."

He went quiet after my protests. That often made me more nervous than when he had a witty little comeback. He was stewing on my words, so at least he was considering what I had to say. The silence was awkward as we each took bites. It was tasty, most of the stuff he made was quite good, but I didn't want to distract him with any compliments.

"We should compromise. Before I leave, I'll show you around the basement; which possesses the house's internet and phone lines. Like St. Louis, this facility still had experiments you'll need to avoid." He stated after a few bites of the awkward silence. "If you still want to stay after I've been gone for a while, knowing I'll have to leave from time to time, then I'll tell you what I'm working on."

It was my turn to silently contemplate the terms. It was a little unfair to just expect him to fully trust me given my connection to groups that would love to see him dead or behind bars. I nodded slowly as I thought about it. It was reasonable enough.

"All right. How long are you going to be gone this time?" I relented, but I did need some more information. "At what point should I panic?"

"It should take about ten days. I don't predict more need, but give a week or so extra before you do anything rash." He replied. "I'll have my phone on me, and you'll have the number so if there is any sort of emergency you can contact me. I will check in as time allows."

"Okay." I nodded to that. I was a little disappointed that it would be so long, but it wasn't years and I had a definite date. That was a nice new detail of this arrangement. "That should work. When do I get to see the basement then?"

"There's nothing so exciting it's worth rushing breakfast." He pointed out, the slight smirk back on his face.

Wesker -

Juggling Claire while Jill was here was difficult enough, Claire's growing paranoia wasn't aiding that. I understood her nerves, as we both had to test slightly how well we could trust the other, but it was a bit frustrating that she just wanted me to lay everything bare in a moment. If she decided she couldn't handle my plan for the world, it would make our relationship much more difficult on both of us. I'd likely simply have to lie to her about Uruborus. I had my fingers in enough pies, that I could find a suitable but less world altering alternative she could stomach. Then, it was a matter of taking appropriate jumps in what I convinced her to accept.

I managed to text Jill the order to leave through the emergency exit and wait outside. Thankfully, I'd just given her another small dose this morning so she wouldn't be able to resist in the time it would take to show Claire the area and leave again. All this dancing through hoops...but the end result would be worth the struggle. I'd have a new world and a queen to go with it soon enough.

Her amazement when we entered the well maintained laboratory space was endearing, she was always so impressed with my little hideaways. I had never been one to turn down a compliment however, spoken or otherwise. I just smiled at the look of surprise she gave me at the small garage I'd set up with a motorcycle akin to her last one.

"I thought you'd want something to do, it's been a while since I've heard you talk about modifying one of your bikes. I figured…" I paused as she jumped up and threw her arms around my neck.

"Thank you!" She exclaimed, unaware of how her touchy gratitude was troublesome. "Thank you. My goodness, the bike is even like the one I had back then...you really do remember everything. You said you were gonna have a garage here, but this..."

"I doubt all the mods are the same, but I had several set up for you. There's a lift we can use to take it back out as needed. The ventilation will make it safe for you to run the engine but you won't be able to take it on the road quite yet." I explained, pushing past the moment of hesitation.

"Wow, Wesker…" I'd rarely seen her grin so openly, I liked it. "I just...wow. I'm blown away, thank you."

"Of course." I edged away from the gratitude, not accustomed to such sentiments. "It seemed fair to find you an activity you enjoy for while I'm gone. Also, you've now seen that the basement is B.O.W. free."

"Two wins." She nodded, hands touching the bike lightly as she stared at it, her mind already plotting out stuff she could do. I was glad it would provide a suitable distraction for her from boredom for this trip. I didn't like her having access to the computer, but I'd be able to take this facility offline from any of my other safe houses connected to it. I'd have to risk the loss of an asset to see if my paramour was as loyal as she proclaimed.

End Chapter

This fiction is definitely at a difficult part to express well the way I want to. It's a dicey time in their relationship what with the clandestine meetings moving into something more permanent? Time will tell. Wesker's not really planning to be 100% honest after all…he -is- Wesker. I have to do a bit more work on the next chapter to clean it up than these last two but it shouldn't be longer than a week for another update.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Nspired1 - I'm glad you've enjoyed my fiction and continue to. I hope that at least a few people can get a short kick out of it with all the horrible stuff going on in 2020. We are getting ever closer to the events of 5.

Crystal - I feel like you keep asking about stuff just before it happens. I'm not sure if I'm foreshadowing well or if I'm just predictable.