[RL with Birkin]

[screwloose]

This time Birkin was coming to him, and that suited Stein just fine. He knew on some level that leaving his world for a bit would do him good, but he was involved in some new projects and still trying to work out how to deliver his last one to Medusa. It wasn't a good time to leave.

But a little company was always welcome, especially if it was like-minded company.

He'd taken a little trip to the store earlier in the day and bought an array of liquors - some bourbon, some gin, some tequila, and some rum. He didn't really know what Birkin liked, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to have a variety on hand.

And now he was at the computer, poking his nose around and waiting.

Comments

You guys need pamphlets like a proper cult :|

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

"I don't know." Birkin picked the beaker up again, taking another drink. "I personally wouldn't want to be leashed like that. By anyone." He frowned slightly. "What did Shinigami do that makes you feel like you owe him anything? It's nice that you're fond of your students, but what about yourself. Aren't you and your desires more important?"

Birkin sighed. "But then, I wouldn't really want to be a toy either..." He bit the inside of his lip, looking for a slightly less depressing topic. "So how did you get that?" The scientist pointed at the scar on his companion's face to clarify.

But then you'd be on guard!

[screwloose]

"Shinigami-sama opened the school," Stein said, then realized that wasn't exactly a full explanation. His lips twisted. "He and the teachers practically raised me. I was an orphan, and had nowhere to go. He trained me to fight, taught me about souls."

He sobered. "I know my own desires are more important, but not necessarily all important. The leash... well, it was what they figured I needed, I guess. Spirit was the only one who could keep me distracted so I didn't hurt the other students. Except him, of course."

The change in subject prompted a soft chuckle. "I cut the skin and peeled it off my skull as part of the surgery to give me this." He tapped the bolt with a fingertip.

At least you won't E-meter me?

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin raised the beaker to his lips again. So Stein was an orphan. Just like Sherry... And looking at what Stein became, he didn't want to imagine what happened to his daughter. "What would have happened to you if that school didn't exist, do you think?" Although he was quite certain he didn't really want the answer.

"Spirit is the one that just showed up and posted the personal ad, right?" He scoffed. "For someone who's so noble, he certainly isn't very classy."

The scientist didn't bother to hide his shock. "You did that to yourself? Why!?" Eyes wide and jaw slack, he just stared at the bolt. "You know you could have killed yourself, right?"

...probably.

[screwloose]

Stein shook his head. "If Shibusen didn't exist, I'd probably either be a toy of a witch already, or in jail." Want it or not, Birkin had his answer.

He laughed softly. "Spirit is a good man, a good man, but he's a philanderer of the highest order. His wife divorced him recently because he couldn't keep his hands off of other women."

The reaction from Birkin wasn't terribly surprising. "I might have, I suppose, but I was reasonably sure I wouldn't die." He smiled and spread his hands. "I'd rather trust these hands than anyone else's." Then he rolled up his sleeve, revealing a scar that encircled his forearm. "All of these are self-inflicted."

D:

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin didn't have anything to say back to that comment, so he chose to just drink some more. It would be his fault if she was in jail, or worse... Goddamn it.

"I'm not sure if I feel worse for him or his wife." He was starting to notice a bit of a pattern with Stein, to be honest. Before he could stop himself (he'd blame the rum if anything), he asked: "Are you ever actually attracted to people who are monogamous? I mean... There are some definite similarities between Vanessa and this Spirit guy."

He understood not wanting to trust other doctors. He hadn't been to another doctor in a long, long time. Birkin instinctively reached out to grab Stein's arm, stopping himself before actually touching him. "All? You mean there's more? What in the world were you trying to prove?" His face showed genuine concern for his fellow scientist. Whatever reason Stein had for cutting himself up like this, it couldn't be good.

>D

[screwloose]

Stein noticed that reaction and wondered where it came from, but chose not to ask. He was too busy laughing at his next question. "You say that like I'm attracted to a lot of people," he said, bemused. "I don't think lack of monogamy is a factor, though it might be a factor in them choosing me, I don't know." He sobered slightly. "I never considered Vanessa until she came over and all but jumped me, you know."

The concern did surprise him a little. He knew Birkin had been horrified, but he didn't think he was really worried about him. "Prove? Nothing really," he said. "I was just...trying things, mostly. Exploring my own body, or seeing what I could do. There's more, though I'd have to strip to show you them all," he finished wryly.

*runs far, far away*

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

"She makes a habit of doing that to people, I think. That's more or less what happened with us too. I originally just took her out to dinner but, half a bottle of champagne, countless eyebrow waggles, and one cherry chocolate cake later, that all went out the window." Birkin took another drink - why the hell not? - and cocked an eyebrow. "And I didn't say you were attracted to a lot of people. I was just pointing out that you're two-for-two in that department."

Birkin set his now-empty glass down on the table before grabbing Stein by the shoulders, resisting the urge to shake him. "Are you completely insane? Actually, don't answer that. I... What if something had gone wrong? You never would have been able to help yourself fast enough... You could have really hurt yourself, you know that right?" The scientist immediately assumed that his sudden concern from the well-being of others probably meant he should have stopped drinking about two glasses ago. Compassion. Ugh, just what he didn't need right now.

*chases*

[screwloose]

"Somehow, I'm not surprised that's how it was," Stein said wryly. He shook his head. "It's not polygamy or monogamy that interests me. It's just... interesting people. And a woman who just goes on smiling while I do my damndest to terrify her, and cut up her skin... is interesting."

He stiffened as Birkin grabbed him, nearly dropping his own glass, startled all over again. "I know," he said. His own fingers curled around Birkin's upper arms in return, holding him steady, and hopefully with reassurance. "Nothing went wrong. I took precautions. And it was a time in my life when I didn't have anyone else to experiment on. So I experimented on myself." It seemed perfectly reasonable to him.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

"Personally, I think 'interesting' is the understatement of the century with her." Birkin sort of wondered if Stein found him interesting but he held his tongue, not sure if he wanted to actually hear the answer no matter which one it was.

He frowned. "I'm sure you took precautions, but precautions aren't always enough. Nothing happened, obviously, but..." With a sigh, Birkin released his hold on the other man's shoulders and stared hard at the floor. "If you ever think about doing that to yourself again, call me instead. I'd rather you experimented on me than run the risk of damaging yourself beyond repair... I don't have many friends and losing any one of them is devastating." He snickered to himself for a few seconds. "I'm going to regret saying that one day, aren't I?"

[screwloose]

Stein grinned at Birkin's assessment of Vanessa, but sobered as he went on, releasing him as Birkin let go.

He couldn't help but stare for a moment as he absorbed Birkin's words. "Probably," he said, half amused, half perplexed. Was this why Birkin was so hung up on Wesker's death? Maybe he really was dead and Birkin just had a hard time letting go.

"Maybe you aren't a sociopath, after all," he murmured thoughtfully, lighting up a cigarette. "Why would you put yourself under my knife? Just to stop me from doing something I chose to do because I wanted to? It makes no sense."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin opened his mouth before shutting it. Why did he say that? Oh, right. "Honestly, I think it has more to do with me just downing several glasses of rum than anything else." He shrugged slightly. "That and... It's the kind of thing friends do for each other, right? Sacrifice and selflessness and all that..."

"Besides, women tend to like men with scars; makes them seem dangerous. I don't need you to get another few and entice Vanessa even more and I realize I need to catch up somehow." Birkin smirked.

Under his breath he couldn't help but mumble a very quiet: "Told you I wasn't a sociopath..."

[screwloose]

Stein's lips curved in a smirk. "You don't really seem the sacrifice and selflessness type, I guess. Nor did I think we were competing for Vanessa."

He sobered and reached out, putting a hand on Birkin's shoulder. "About Vanessa, she's a fascinating girl, and she is a great deal of fun. But I don't love her, like you do. Don't worry about me stealing her from you, because it's not going to happen."

He chuckled. "All right, fine. But if you're not, you still need to remember that I am. I don't... feel things the way normal people do. Attachments are hard for me." He spoke as if reading from a textbook, just a bit. He knew these things about himself, because he'd diagnosed himself, but it was an intellectual knowledge. He didn't understand how other people really felt... he just knew he didn't feel the same.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin blinked a few times, sort of confused by Stein's last statement. "I don't care whether you are or not. Just because you don't feel things in the same way I do doesn't mean a thing." He smiled. "I mean, I'm friends with Wesker and whatever your mental problems may be, they're nothing compared to his. Although, we'll need to do something about you experimenting on yourself."

Birkin scoffed. "Also, I'm not worried about you trying to steal her. I'm worried about her trying to steal you." As soon as his brain caught up with his mouth, the rest of his face decided to cut in and turn pink. He did not just phrase his thoughts like that. "Or, erm... No, that's... You know what I mean; she just seems so fickle... I wasn't trying to imply that I... Not that you're not... I'm sure most people would..." He exhaled slowly, his cheeks now tomato red.

"Okay, I'm just going to stop trying to explain what I meant and ask for a refill instead." He grabbed his beaker off the table, holding it out to Stein.

[screwloose]

Stein refilled his drink, fascinated by the stammering and blushing. Did Birkin just say what he thought he'd just said? No, surely not.

"What I meant," he said, taking some pity on the poor man. "Was that I don't seem to relate very well to normal people all the time. I'm not good at giving people...emotional connection." He shrugged. "But as you say, you're friends with Wesker, so maybe that's not a problem for you. It certainly has been a problem in the past, that's all."

He grinned. Pity time over. "Steal me in what sense~? I really didn't get what you were trying to say there, Birkin."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin took a quick sip of his newly-refilled glass. "If I have enough of an emotional connection to someone, it really doesn't matter to me if it's repro... Recrip..." He let out a quick groan of frustration. "If the other person gives me one back." Never drinking again. Ever.

"I was just... Because of the rum it's hard to..." The scientist paused and smirked slightly, ignoring the burning in his face. He was still sober enough to be sarcastic. Might as well take advantage of that fact. "I'm just trying to confess how extraordinarily handsome I find you." Birkin tried to bat his eyelashes for a few seconds before he gave up and burst into uproarious laughter. Right. As if.

[screwloose]

Stein smirked back, realizing that Birkin was joking, and laughed along with him, sipping his drink with one hand while he turned the bolt in his head with the other.

"I think Vanessa has had a terrible influence on you," he said, leaning a little closer, just to see what Birkin would do. "I know you're only joking," he went on, reaching for him and curling his fingers around his tie. "But I do find you very interesting. I wonder what you'd do with the right...push."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin quickly glanced down at the hand holding his tie. "Wouldn't it be the right pull in this particular case?" The scientist chose to simply widen his smirk and raise an eyebrow, daring Stein to continue. Just how was his current experiment going to react to that little catalyst he wondered. Shame he didn't think to bring his clipboard to take notes.

"And I'm fairly certain this has very little to do with Vanessa's influence over me. I highly doubt she even knows I'm here."

[screwloose]

"Well, then that's even more interesting," Stein said, curling the tie through his fingers. He leaned and set the half-full beaker of rum down.

Then he reached up and tightened the loose tie until it sat snugly, almost uncomfortably, against Birkin's Adam's apple. "How would you like to go examine my new creation?" he offered in a virtual purr, like a contented cat.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin swallowed hard, not any easier thanks to the tie. It had been years since he's actually warn his tie properly and had managed to forget just how hard it could be to breathe. "Is it? How so?" He cleared his throat slightly; he was going to loosen that stupid thing as soon as they started working.

"I would love to see her, though in my current state, I doubt I could actually do much." Birkin had no reason to deny it; after four-ish glasses of rum, he was pretty much drunk. He set his own beaker down, wondering what game Stein was playing by asking him that.

[screwloose]

Stein smirked, enjoying the other man's evidence of discomfort. "It's interesting that you claim flirting with me has nothing to do with Vanessa," he said teasingly, and getting to his feet.

He held onto the tie, though, using it like a leash as he started for the door. "We don't have to do anything. You can just admire her."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

"What makes you think it would have something to do with her?" Really, it was all in the name of science. A very advanced and slightly unorthodox Kinsey test, so to speak.

He resisted the urge to mention that he was not about to be led around like a dog, instead just following Stein to avoid his tie getting any tighter. He coughed slightly; he was never going to make the mistake of wearing a it around the other man ever again.

[screwloose]

Stein liked ties.

"A couple of reasons," Stein said casually, pushing open a thick steel door and leading Birkin into the dimly-lit bowels of his laboratory area.

"You've always claimed to be quite straight. Not only that, but Vanessa mentioned that you were quite absorbed in your work from time to time. To the point where she wondered if you had a depressed sex drive." He glanced over his shoulder at Birkin and shrugged. He could relate. "Besides, flirting with me is the sort of thing she would do."

Down a hall and then on the right another door, which led into a surgical suite. On the steel vivisection table in the centre was a pretty dark-haired girl, laying there unconscious.

All but forgetting about the Kinsey testing, Stein let go of the tie and smiled with pride at the girl. "And here we are," he finished.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin smirked. "Well, I'm hardly working right now. Besides, what would be the point of flirting with you just because she would? Seems fairly pointless to me." He just shrugged. Stein could believe whatever he wanted; he was never planning on bringing any of this up and would deny it to hell and back if Stein ever mentioned it to anyone.

The first thing he did once Stein released him, was loosen his tie with no small amount of annoyance. Now that he was able to breathe properly, Birkin stared at the girl on the table. "So, how were you able to revive her? I meant to ask you before."

[screwloose]

Stein was still not sure what to believe, but he watched Birkin loosen his tie with a smirk. Maybe he'd poke at him about it a bit more later, but for now his project consumed his attention.

He reached out and stroked the soft hair. "It wasn't really as difficult as I expected. She died of an illness that caused liver and kidney damage, so I gave her a couple of transplants and eradicated the virus with radiation and drugs. Then I sent a controlled pulse of electricity through her body to start her heart and jumpstart cell function once more. It helped that she was well-preserved by cold from the moment she died."

He touched the body, between her bare breasts, where there was a neatly-stitched scar. Her chest rose and fell with the soft breaths. "She's on a pacemaker for now, and a respirator. But I think once Medusa takes over the body it'll work on its own. Of course, there's no brain function, but that's just what I wanted."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Must be fun playing God like that. Wesker would be jealous." He chuckled a bit, staring at the body. Stein had talent with this sort of thing evidently. Must come with the name. "What happens to Medusa if it doesn't work?"