Chis tended to forget how big boats actually were until they were pulled from the water.
He and Jill drove the patrol boat up the bay to the industrial marina, a name that made it sound bigger than it was, but shipments from up and down the coast were unloaded here instead of in the touristy center of town. Residents also stored their boats here in dry-dock during the winter, and the marina staff was ready for them with the forklift when they arrived.
The big machine rumbled into the water, the lift low, and waited as they disembarked the boat and then pulled it along the dock, stern first, until its hull rested against the padded tines. Then they let it go and tossed the lines into the boat as the forklift hoisted the boat up, its engines roaring, and then backed out of the water. Raised high, water streamed off the boat and left a large trail as the forklift carried the patrol boat to its temporary spot where it would get serviced and cleaned.
Chris was not looking forward to barnacle duty. Jill laughed at him.
"I'll come keep you company," she smirked.
"You really gonna waste your time picking barnacles off with me?"
"I didn't say I'd be helping! I'm gonna get a nice beach chair and some drinks and watch while you suffer."
"You're such a good friend," Chris said with an eyeroll.
"I really am."
They finished signing in the boat, ensured all the remaining gear was removed, and locked it up for the day. The marina office had a phone and they called for Brad to come pick them up.
STARS would rely on Bravo's patrol boat until Alpha's was completely serviced, then swap it out. Once done with that, the smaller speedboats would get hauled out and stored until next season with their own maintenance just before the weather turned freezing.
Summer was over, the tourists mostly gone and the seasonal residents trickling out. The weather would stay warm a little longer, followed by fall chills and rain. Pretty as the area was in full green splendor, the bay a brilliant azure, Chris needed a break from the heat.
Until then, he was taking the Wet Willy out while the weather was still good. He'd fish or just relax in the sun, the water lapping in hollow thunks against the hull in a clunky lullaby. He dozed off a lot out on the water, and that was fine now because the bay was considerably less crowded, save the fishing trawls and other residents with the same idea as him. When fall really set in he'd tarp up the Wet Willy and then stick it under the little lean-to just outside his house for the winter.
The marina office had a small lobby with a few chairs and two magazines from last decade. Chris flipped through them while Jill flirted with the young man who'd stuck his head out of the office at the sight of her, not that Chris blamed the guy. Jill had been single long enough at this point that she was keeping her options open, but that didn't mean Chris wasn't rolling his eyes at their conversation.
Thankfully, Brad arrived just as the flirty giggling started and Chris took his vengeance by mocking Jill ceaselessly during the ride back to the RPD.
"He was giggling."
"He was nice!"
Chris made kissy noises, Jill called him a child, and Brad sighed the despairing sigh of one doomed to suffer.
Wesker was in a towel.
Chris was trying very hard not to look, to stare, but Wesker rarely showered when everyone else did but after today's training session he had no choice. Even now he was forgoing the shower bay and heading back where there were some more private stalls. Chris forced himself to turn his back and shove his face in the shower spray.
They started the day with the morning group run, then followed that with basic hand-to-hand combat drills. Then, while everyone was sweaty and hot, Wesker decided it was time for some water rescue drills. He didn't participate, but stood n the dock and bitched commands and directions at them as they tread water off the pier.
Which wasn't really like Wesker, he preferred to be down with his team, their heads in easy reach of knocking if they didn't perform their tasks to his standard.
The last couple of days before that, Chris spent scraping his hands as he performed his assigned maintenance duties for the patrol boat. Barry and Joseph joined in, and Jill, as promised, sat in a lawn chair and heckled. She did, however, provide snacks and drinks for them, so nobody really got mad, and as soon as it was declared a day she produced copious amounts of booze from a cooler in her trunk.
"See? I'm a good friend."
"The best."
Chris shut the shower off and sloughed the extra water from himself before grabbing his towel and drying off. He dressed at is locker and headed upstairs to the STARS office to get his stuff, feeling much better. He passed Barry on the way up and said his farewells. Their days off were scattered and, especially during the busy summer months, often unscheduled, and today was Chris' personal Friday. He was considering taking the boat out tomorrow, but the weather was looking iffy.
He entered the office and slung on his jacket, turning in place and... There was Wesker, sitting at his desk, watching him.
"Jesus, Wesker!" Chris jumped. How the hell did the captain beat him back up here?
Wesker's brows arched. "Something wrong?"
"You power-shower or something?"
"I don't see a reason to dawdle, if that's what you mean."
"Still, warn a guy."
Head tilted just sightly, as though considering, Wesker's face softened. "Perhaps I have been overworking all of you."
"Nah, we're fine..."
"It was a busy summer and you all behaved commendably, and yet I have thrust you into maintenance and training without so much as a 'good job'. You especially, Chris."
"Uh, thanks?" Where was Wesker going with this? Not that Chris didn't like being appreciated, but this wasn't like the captain.
"Let me make it up to you, at least in part. Drinks on me, tonight?"
Oh, Chris could work with that. "I think everyone would like that, can your wallet handle it?"
Wesker waved him off and turned his attention back to his computer. "My salary is bigger than yours and as I have told you I am merely renting a room for now. My bills are cheap and I have plenty to burn."
True, Wesker's file had been updated and his address was some shared housing outside town. Chris shrugged.
"I'm down, Captain. I'll let the others know."
Wesker nodded, not looking at Chris. "It's your days off tomorrow, correct?"
"Yeah?"
"Then don't worry about driving, I want you to enjoy yourself. If you choose to over-imbibe I'll drive you home."
Well now, wasn't that a bold but kind gesture. "Thanks, Wesker. You coming down, then?"
He nodded. "When I finish up here. You and the others go open a tab if you like, I'll be down soon. Wouldn't want my best man making a fool of himself without me around to witness it."
Chris snort and adjusted his jacket. "And here I thought you were a nice guy."
"Me? Never."
"See you in a bit." Chris left the office and headed back down to the lockers to try and catch the others and tell them the good news. Barry wasn't there but with a bit of running Chris caught him in the parking lot. Leaving the team to clean up and maybe pass on the good word to Bravo (Wesker never specified just Alpha and Chris was still enough of a dick in regards to his superiors to never discount fellow grunts at their expense), Chris headed to the bar and grabbed a couple of tables.
He hadn't been planning on drinking too much, but the thought of Wesker taking him home made him a tad giddy inside, enough he might have to fake being drunk if he must.
There was no must. Soon Alpha and half of Bravo team arrived and the servers brought out pitchers of beer and glasses to accommodate them, aside from the individual bottles already ordered. Everyone was taking Wesker's promise to task and it was Marini of all people calling for the pitchers. His day off was tomorrow as well and Chris' selfish side hoped Wesker wasn't going to give his fellow captain a ride home too.
Wesker had apprently not expected this level of expense and actually raised up his shades to peer at the glass and bottle covered tables with wide eyes when he arrived half an hour later. Unconcerned, the present members of STARS raised their glasses and cheered him as he gaped and shoved a bottle into his hand.
By then, Chris was feeling the heat in his face and the pleasant, slightly warped feeling at the base of his skull. He dragged Wesker into the seat next to him and clapped him on the shoulder heartily.
"As I recall, most of you have work tomorrow," Wesker announced without enthusiasm to his STARS. Jill, Joseph, and Forest booed him and shoved another glass in his direction.
It was true, however, and soon the laughing and excitement calmed from a boil to a buzzed simmer and Marini closed the tab, the remaining pitchers still on the table more than enough.
Wesker sat and drank slowly, observing as always, so Chris put his attention to Forest for a bit, riling up the Bravos with declarations of inadequacy in their usual competitive fashion. Bravo team always gave as good as they got and soon Barry and Kenneth were arm wrestling for their team's honor instead of suffering a yelling match.
Chris was happily drunk when his friends started saying their goodnights and trickling out, leaving Wesker glowering at his bill.
"I warned you," Chris chuckled.
Wesker grumbled and wrote a check. Chris ever so graciously paid the tip, waggling his brows at his glaring captain.
"You sticking around, Chris?" Jill asked as she slid on her coat.
"Our beloved Captain here promised me free beer and a ride home and I'm taking him up on it."
Jill's brows flew into her hairline and she glanced at Wesker, unsure. "Wow, favoritism much."
"Next time you can get voluntold for barnacle duty and I will gladly offer you the same," Wesker said, then took a large gulp of his beer.
She shrugged, told Chris not to overdo it, then left.
Wesker suggested Marini stick around a bit longer, ensuring he was sober enough to drive. It was now Chris' turn to sit while the two captains discussed boring captain things, deciding to finish off the last of the pitcher. By the time Marini finally took his leave, Chris was thoroughly drunk.
Wesker hardly seemed upset or even bothered. "You ready to go?" he asked.
Grinning stupidly, Chris leaned forward, chin resting on his palm, "Nope." Let me gaze at you in this low light a little longer.
Shrugging, Wesker finished his beer and then leaned back in his seat. Chris started to follow, leaning before pitching forward as his elbow slipped. Wesker's hand snapped out and steadied him. Chris could feel the coolness of his hand through his t-shirt.
"And that's why you are done," Wesker said.
"Sorry."
"I said you could drink freely until now, don't apologize. However, I do want to leave soon."
"Yeah. Yeah, okay. Soon, gimme a bit."
'Soon' was an abstract concept to Chris now and he sat and hummed until Wesker obliged and made the rim of his glass sing with his finger. What else could those fingers do? Chris sniggered.
"What's so funny?" Wesker asked, re-wetting his finger.
"Y'know...everything."
"If you say so." And there was the patronizing tone. Chris hated that.
"Maybe if you drank more you'd actually understand my great words of wis-dom." He slurred the last word.
"I have work tomorrow, and I'm your DD."
"I don't want a DD I want..." even drunk as he was Chris managed to slam his jaw shut on 'your dick' and all that came out was a warbled grunt.
"Pardon?"
"I want...you to..." he was struggling through the words and the lie that fell haphazardly into a truth, "keep up...the good captain work."
Wesker arched a brow and smirked. "Why thank you, Chris. Your input means a lot to me."
Chris found that, now that he'd fallen into this ball pit of a truth, he couldn't get out and only kept sinking, the words spilling out faster than he could think of them. "I mean it! You do a god job. You're so much better than my last superior."
"Your last superior...in the Air Force?"
"Yeah that guy."
"The one that got you discharged?"
Chris stared. He'd talked and now his brain had to catch up. "That was my last superior, wasn't he?"
"That's not a high bar to beat, then."
"You wanna know why I got booted out?" Chris leered, once again resting his chin in his hand.
"Your file says you clashed with the required military respect for authority. It is otherwise none of my business."
"I'll tell you—"
Wesker cut him off. "You're drunk, Christopher. Consider you were never up to telling me before now."
The use of his full name caught Chris off guard and he paused, staring at Wesker. His shades were off and in the low, yellow light of the bar his eyes should have been grey but they were still blue. Blue, pale like shallow water that invited you to wade safely, unaware that the deep was right there and monsters waited within.
Chris swallowed.
"I want you."
"What?"
Sweat broke out just under Chris' hairline. "I want you...to know...fuck your eyes are beautiful, aren't they?"
Oh fuck, you idiot. What straight guy would say that to another man?!
Wesker smirked, then looked away towards the bar. He shoved his glass out of reach and the loss of the ringing felt like a dash of cold water on Chris' face. "That's what my wife used to say. Not quite in such a vulgar fashion, but yes."
His wife.
Wife.
The clown ballpit consumed Chris and he felt his whole inner being collapse into itself.
Why was he surprised? He should have known. Wesker was a catch for anyone, good looking, mature, good job...of course he'd be married.
And yet now he was angry.
"You...have never mentioned her before now," he said, quietly, starting to feel something seethe inside. Of course he's married, of course...despite the fact there was no family on file...despite the fact he lived in some shitty shared housing despite...
Wesker slipped on his shades and then regarded Chris, safely unreadable behind the lenses. "She died."
Oh fuck.
What his wife used to say.
You asshole.
"I am so sorry," Chris whispered and meant it, his anger snuffed out by that one word.
Chris must have been gaping too long, on the edge of blubbery, because Wesker actually smiled, just slightly, and said, "It was a while ago, Chris. I'm fine. And we were never..." he trailed off, again looking away somewhere.
"What happened?" The words slipped out before Chris' drunken mind could catch them, but Wesker seemed distracted and didn't consider the rudeness of them.
"We were out in the ocean, farther out than we should have been. It was an accident, I was careless, and there was no one around to help."
Chris waited, but Wesker said nothing else and he didn't dare ask. An accident out on the water. Did she drown? It happened, people didn't wear life vests, got drunk, or went swimming off their boats and got too tired and started to drown before anyone noticed.
Then Chris remembered pursuing those arms dealers and getting thrown from the boat. Wesker had been dragged down. Oh fuck, Wesker's wife drowned and then he nearly did and no one knew. He was so shocky and out of it when they found him, and Chris had chalked it up to exhaustion. What if it had been more than that?
Claire wouldn't get in a car for a week after their parents died, not without crying and yelling and begging him. Their parents died in a car crash and even though she never saw it the fact was ingrained in her mind.
Wesker had been there.
Chris could only mutter out, "That's awful..."
"It was some time ago," Wesker repeated.
While distracted, Wesker's mood was no more brought down or lifted by the conversation, but for Chris the mood was ruined. The fact there was no partner in Wesker's life now should have been a booster for Chris, a bit more of hope in his mad fantasy, but not like that and he couldn't help but feel guilty.
Guilty and then drunkenly horny as Wesker stood and stretched, his work shirt drawn taut over his stomach as he arched, thigh muscles tight under the tough material of his trousers.
Chris swallowed and felt sick as the guilt roiled in his stomach; Wesker had a wife and she died but Chris still wanted nothing more than to bend his captain over this table and plow him so hard all the glassware fell onto the floor and broke.
It was a while ago, he said so himself.
Chris winced at his own sloppy justification. So what if it was a while ago? So what if Wesker was genuinely fine? This was never more than a horny daydream anyway, he's into women, he's your superior, don't you dare go down this road again...!
"Shall we go?" Wesker asked.
Chris choked out a yes.
He staggered a little as they headed towards the door, more from the turmoil in his brain than the alcohol, and Wesker steadied him with an arm around his shoulder, practically steering him.
Wesker smirked, "Perhaps we should take your car? Then your soon-to-be hungover self won't have to worry about retrieving it."
"Whadda-bout you?" Chris slurred out. He felt like he was a lot more sober than his speech revealed but such was the trick of booze.
"I don't live too far from your home and I'll enjoy a nighttime walk while it's still warm. I can call for someone to come get me for work in the morning. The privilege of rank, and all."
"You're sssoooo smart..."
"You have no idea."
Chris sniggered and let Wesker guide him along the street towards where he left his truck. They took a shortcut through the alley between the RPD parking garage and the bar and again Chris started chuckling stupidly.
"What is it now?" Did Wesker sound impatient all the sudden? "Hurry up, I want to get this over with."
Get what over with? "Mood lighting...S'dark...back alleyshit an' all..."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
His body moved of its own accord, even as that part of Chris' brain that was still sober started screaming. The arm slung around Wesker slid off as Chris turned, free hand reaching up to Wesker's shoulder as oh shit no! he leaned forward towards his captain's mouth.
He stumbled, forcing Wesker to stagger back into the wall, and, half leaning on the older man, his mouth found Wesker's. It was sloppy but firm, the kiss unmistakable, one hand pushing against the wall to keep his from completely toppling onto Wesker and the other digging into the material of the other man's shirt.
Stop stop stop stop...!
God, he wanted this so bad...
Wesker's mouth was slack against his, his whole body stiff and still.
Shit! For the love of god, stop!
Chris pulled back, drunkenly panting, eyes searching Wesker's.
His shades were askew, one blue eye visible, and it was wide in shock.
Chris let go of his shoulder. "Oh, fuck, Wessker...ssorry, I shouldn't have..."
Wesker shoved him away so hard Chris staggered back and fell on his ass onto wet pavement, and then he was running. Actually running away. Chris tried to call after him as he made it to the mouth of the alley but he turned and vanished on the street. Chris was left alone, sitting on the ground, drunk, horny, and the sobering weight of what he had just done pressing down on him.
His career in STARS was over.
His life in Raccoon City was done.
And he damn well deserved it.
The cold sea water was a balm to Wesker's overheated skin as he plunged into the bay and unfurled his real self. Snarling and snapping, he wormed through the sand in a furious effort to get the stink of human off of him, and then dove down into the deep of the bay. His frills extended in full aggression, he tore up netting and smashed old crab pots, and then he screamed, so loud that fish scattered away from him and seals jumped to shore.
Damn Chris!
How did he know? And what did he know to try such a bizarre tactic to distract Wesker?
And, fool that he was, it worked!
It worked because... Chris' mouth on his, body pressed against him, the heat of him through his clothes...
With a snarl, Wesker turned towards the mouth of the bay. He needed to go home, he needed... Would he make it back in time come the morning? Well, if he didn't, he could just make up some shit about his car breaking down on the way. Nobody would care and, according to the ever so quaint human phrase, shit happened.
He stayed deep as he crossed the bay, the water's pressure keeping his mind focused.
Because it wasn't then. Because...
He'd reacted.
A physical reaction, as Chris pressed against him, warmth flowing down from his belly and into ridiculously external nether regions.
He didn't understand!
He was pureblood, such reactions were beyond him, moreover Chris was male, and human!
Yet Bright had never experienced such a reaction, not without direct external influence. Even with Graceful, his wife, who had been both pleasing to look at and of acceptable attitude... She adored him. Yet without her touch to entice him he felt nothing. But they were both purebloods, joined at Ruler's bidding because of their bloodlines, they could not expect such things from themselves, purebloods didn't feel things like that...
Bright reacted to Chris.
Trickery, obviously. Chris knew something, somehow, was far more cunning than Bright assumed, he must have done something...maybe to the drinks...
He kept swiming, down into the dark, into the crumbling remains of his people, and didn' stop until he was the antechamber of Ruler.
It took a lot of snarling, demanding, and displayed reminders of his bloodline and status via his fins and horns to get his audience with Ruler, and when he got it, neither subordinates or their sole leader himself was pleased with his presence.
Too bad. The People were mostly nocturnal; it wasn't like he was waking anyone up.
He entered Ruler's chamber and coiled around the dais, frills lowered in submission, and waited to be acknowledged.
Ruler was there, watching him from the shadows, unseen, but Bright could smell him. He was making Bright wait, as a show of rank and displeasure. He tried not to lash his tail in frustration, but stayed still.
"I wasn't extpecting a report from you," the old aanakellriit's voice tricked from the dark. It was not a soft voice, not quite withered but Bright could imagine the old one's form from it, yet there was a strengh there. The force of one accustomed to being obeyed.
"I come not with a report but a question."
There was a pause, then, "Such insistance to see me but all you have is a question? You will give me a report so my time isn't wasted."
Bright struggled not to bare his teeth. The Ruler must rule all, even a simple convrsation.
"My access to the water purification site is limited, but I have drawn up the layout by memory. I still need to return and compare them. There has been little change otherwise, my duty to the RPD has been demanding the past season."
Another long, frustrating pause. Gods curse it, Bright didn't have all night!
"And your other objective?"
Bright sighed. "No change, however, the mayor has a daughter that could be of use. I need to learn more about her and her schedule. The question remains if mere threat against her would be enough or if I have to take action in order to get the mayor where we want him."
A frustrated grunt, then, "At least you are consistant in wasting everyone's time."
Bright wanted to argue, to remind the Ruler that he had to fake an entire life up on the surface and perform a full job to actual satisfaction alongside his duties to them, all the while dealing with frustrating humans who wanted time and familiarity with him! He knew better, however, and simply lowered his head, accepting Ruler's berating.
"What is your question?"
"I have been wondering of late... With the loss of my wife, and my duty as a pureblood..."
"Have I picked a new mate for you? That's what you wanted to know with such urgency?"
"It could conflict with my current mission, should you have someone in mind already."
He could feel Ruler's dismissive amusement. "I have, actually. My choices for good breedng were slim but this will do."
Bright raised his head, curious.
"Your new union will be with Averter, when you have time to consummate it."
Averter? No, he could not.
"Ruler...she is my cousin. The purity of the bloodline we have struggled to maintain... such inbreeding will lead to genetic stagnation. We can't affrd that."
"I know what's at stake!" Ruler snapped, his reedy voice a whip from the dark, "But to maintain the bloodline, an occasional blood mingling is necessary. Now and again with a cousin every several genertaions will not be our downfall."
Bright's claws dug into his palms. A union with his cousin? That undid everything this whole damned project was about!
But, as he was, Bright could do nothing about it but obey.
His tail spines twiched with the need to rise in fury despite his best attempts. Fortunately Ruler didn't seem to notice.
"Have I answered your question?" Ruler sneered, bored with the conversation.
"Yes, my lord."
"Then go, and stop dawdling with nonsense that is no concern of yours. Perform you duty and obey."
Bright only managed to keep his spines and frills lowered until he left Ruler's chamber, in which fury rose up and he coiled into an attack pose when Ruler's dimwitted servants and subordinates didn't get out of his way fast enough.
Not his concern? His bloodline and offspring were not of his concern?!
He'd lost so much of the night already, but Bright decided it was time to visit his cousin.
If one followed the tunnel pipes carrying the electrical lines from Willful's lab, then one would find a central hub from which branched out multiple lines to various labs carved into the rock and earth. Averter's was even farther from the others, a world unto herself.
Despite everything Wesker had done, could do, Averter remained in her place as Ruler's favorite among those within his little project. Enough so that she alone had been given the reins to it, was invited into confidence, knew Ruler's end goal.
And what rankled Bright the most that even if he and Averter joined in union, he would still be no more privy to that end goal than he was now. Born of the same generation, they had grown up together akin to siblings, and like all siblings, she enjoyed every bit of power she could get over him. Over everyone, if possible, and Ruler's favor had granted her not only prestige but her own laboratory cave system with access to their limited power flow equal to that of Willfull's.
He arrived at her cave system and, as a show of politeness, pulled on one of the many cords strung across the entryway, the bells and flotsam upon them jangling.
She came soon, her glowing figure slithering into view, and she peered at him through the cords, her palehair floating around her face.
"Well, I haven't seen you in a while," she said, her voice soft but lined with her own perceived power.
"I spoke to Ruler about my future breeding prospects."
"Ah, he told you then."
Of course she already knew.
With a smile that was not at all friendly, she wrapped her fingers around a cluster of cords and pulled in such a way that the whole mess came loose and draped to the floor, then she turned away and swam back into her caves. Wesker followed.
"You accept Ruler's decision?" he asked.
"A decision had to be made, one that considers the next generation as well as our own." She slipped away from the power supplying pipes and dove into a small cavern, the large mound of sand on the ground marking it her living space. She'd strung beautiful things across the walls, possibly even gifts from suiters, Bright wasn't sure. He'd paid little attention to Averter once he'd left the labs. Coiling, she turned and face him. "Genetically speaking, an occasional union between cousins will not cause inbreeding issues, especially considering neither of us carry undesirable traits. Moreover," she lifted her head in that way of hers, when she was trying to prove herself the better, "the Stairway of the Sun responds to us both, albeit in a limited fashion for myself. Your previous female did not carry this trait."
"True," Bright said, coiling about himself and coming to rest on the sandy floor, "but it is a precedent I'm wary of. First it's cousins, then as our pureblood options dwindle..."
"So what? We give up on maintainng our line? We let our people become degenerate mongrels that, might I remind you, caused this problem in the first place?"
Bright crossed his arms and glared at her. "The declining birth rate caused this problem, not the only solution available at the time, you know that."
She scoffed, her hair momentarily covering her face. It was golden, like his, a similar color stretching down in a bright stripe on her back and fins, marking them kin.
"Why are you here, then?" she sighed, "Since Ruler's decision has upset you?"
Why indeed? Adrenaline was still thrumming through him, just under his skin. Why did he ask Ruler about his breeding future? Why did he come to Averter now? Why was he so bothered?
"I wanted to know your thoughts, is all."
"Hm, wanted to know if I had a hand in the decision?"
"Did you?"
"You were one of my better options."
"I see."
Chris' mouth on his, the heat of him through his clothes...
Bright's claws dug deep furrows in the sand as he slowly clenched his fists. Why? Why did this matter?
"Do you even want me?" he rose up, tilting his head in his own challenging way, and looked into his cousin's glowing eyes.
"We are pureblood, we are above such simple emotions."
"I'm not asking if you are fond of me or any other foolish thing, I am asking if you desire me. It'll prove bad coupling, otherwise."
Her eyes grew even brighter, and she swam to him, stopping so close that her hair floated around him. She brought a hand up and touched his face, her thumb tracing along his cheekbone.
"You are one of my better options," she repeated, and kissed him.
He was slow to respond, but opened his mouth to her and kissed back, his hand mirroring her own in touching her face, holding her to him. She hummed in satisfaction and moved closer. His free hand moved up her stomach and over a bare breast, thumb swiveling over her nipple.
She pulled back from the kiss and bared sharp teeth in a smile, and tried to bite him. He turned her head away befoe she could and bit her instead, sucking on the soft space just under her neck. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her tail began to wind around him, pulling them close, the muscled undulating in an arousing fashion, waiting for him to join her...
It should have been arousing, but Bright felt nothing. His hand fell from her breast, slid down her back. He growled in frustration and went back to kissing her.
Respond, damn it!
Her long hair floated around him, her softness pressed against him, her cool, smooth skin and flexing scale moved in all the ways that should have worked...
His mind went back, went elsewhere, to a dark street, to another. Strong muscles under his hands, broad shoulders, the heat of a firm body against his. The harsh scrape of stubble against his neck, a deep, masculine sigh...
Wesker growled deep in his throat as he felt a tightness in his lower gut, traveling farther down, and his genitals slid out.
Averter lauged softly in his ear, "Ah, there we are..." and her tail coiled tighter, stimulating him further, and he felt her line up and open herself to him.
With a fierce snarl he pushed her away, hissing as his venomous spines rose and his tail coiled up in an attack pose.
There was the briefest expression of shock on Averter's face before she schooled it back into a sneer of disdain. Arching into loop, she turned from him, just slightly, before the indifference once again took over.
"I hope this is just you wanting things rough, otherwise you prove yourself less than I expected," she sneered at him over her shoulder, "Maybe this is why Ruler gave you Graceful; a true pureblood is too much for you."
It was a weak counter to his insult and they both knew it, very unlike her, but even so Bright's tail lashed. He wanted to kill her. He wanted to rip out her throat, sever her into two with is tail, crush her gills and watch her drown...
But there was no pleasure in the thought. It was just anger. Anger that was empty and came from a helplessness he hadn't felt in a long time and didn't want to admit was there.
Not like killing Chris. Even now, the sudden thought of the young human choking on his own blood as Bright squeezed the life out of him made his scales raise and his erection remain exposed.
He forced his spines down and coiled his tail under himself. Forced his blood to cool and his genitals to retract. Averter watched him, disgust on her handsome features. She was probably having a few fantasies of her own regarding him, of killing him for the insult he had given her and ascending further in Ruler's eyes.
Bright didn't care.
He needed to kill Chris. Whatever tactic the human had used, purposeful or accidental, it had worked too well. Bright had lost himself and became distracted. Worse, he'd come careening down here like a fool in search of... What? Why did he suddenly care? Why now?
"Thank you for your time, dear cousin," he inflected their familial relation, "for clearing my head. I won't take any more of your time." He didn't wait for her answer and she didn't give one, merely watching him as he slid out of her lair.
Averter could hold a grudge as long as he could, and she was going to make him pay for this, but not now. Whether she hated him or not, Ruler had spoken, and she would accept his word, as would Bright. For the time being.
He turned from the pipes and lines into lesser used tunnels and swam. The dark and close walls further scraped away the chaotic thoughts that had plagued him since the that evening's incident.
Chris would die. If Bright had to put a bullet in his head as soon as no one was looking, so be it. No more games, no more risk. He was well ensconced in the RPD now and it was time to get this whole sorry mission over and done with, for his own sake. But there was still so much to do.
Being human was messing with his head, it was the only explanation.
Chris saw red as the shrieking of the dial-up tone ricocheted around inside his throbbing skull. For the love of all things holy just connect you stupid thing! He actually screamed in frustration when it failed and that only made his head hurt worse.
Sometimes he could get the damn router to connect by bowing and proclaiming fealty to it, but he wasn't in the mood for such stupidness. He wasn't in the mood for anything. He'd ruined his life, again.
After Wesker took off, Chris had managed to drunkenly stumble back to the bar. He'd hoped the captain was there so he could at least apologize before he got fired and shamed but there was no sign of the older man. Unfit to drive, Chris asked the staff to call him a cab. The waiting for it and the ride home were miserable, Chris' own stupidity cycling around in his head like flushed piss in a toilet. His own home felt cold and unwelcoming as he entered, like it knew what he did.
Despite his drunken state Chris couldn't sleep and so resigned himself to a cup of coffee and typing up his resignation with a side of pathetic apologies. Probably not the best state of mind for such a thing, but he didn't care. He was going to be a coward and email it to Wesker; why bother going to the office? He'd call Barry and Jill and Joseph later and tell them...
Tell them what? Would he lie? Make up some bullshit about Claire needing him and that he had to leave immediatley? Just say things weren't working out? What else could he do?
He really was a fucking coward.
Or he would be if the damned internet would work. Why did he pay so much for this stupid shit to be installed? It only worked half the time and when it did it bloated his phone bill.
The universe wasn't going to let him be a coward. He gave up and wept in pain and humiliation as the used dot matrix printer he'd snagged took up the shrieking in the dial-up's stead as it printed out his resignation.
Fine. He'd go into the office early. If he was lucky, he'd beat Wesker in and leave it on his desk. If he bumped into the team he's just tell them he had to drop something off, he had his days off to come up with something for when he called them. If Wesker was there...he could only pray the captain would give him one last mercy and just take the resignation and let him leave.
Chris' throbbing, heavy head fell into his hands. The captain didn't do mercy, he wouldn't just let Chris sneak away with his tail between his legs.
Wesker was going to fucking kill him.