[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

[screwloose]

Stein gave him another penetrating look, attempting to give the impression that he already knew all of Birkin's secrets and was just waiting for him to admit it. If Wesker really were dead, he would probably feel quite foolish later, but he thought the odds were low.

"Why, is it going to work?" he asked, smirking widely. "I really have no idea why you're lying to me about it. I won't tell anyone if he really is alive, and I don't actually care about your little tif with the other people from your world. If I were to help anyone, it would be you, so why don't you just tell me the truth and see if it helps?"

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin looked off to the side. Stein's looks were just... Creepy. Besides, the way that question was phrased sounded like a thinly veiled threat and if it got him home in one piece... He closed his eyes, he hated to do this but... Wesker could go to hell, quite frankly. "He's alive, alright? Now, untie me and let me go!"

After a few seconds he chuckled to himself. "If this is what you did with Vanessa, it's no small wonder she likes you so much." It made perfect sense now.

[screwloose]

Stein smirked. "I thought so."

But the thrill of victory was short-lived. Birkin was reacting to him the same way Spirit always had, and while the sadistic part of Stein enjoyed every minute of it, he wondered if he were losing the friendship at the same time. He mourned that Birkin, perhaps, didn't understand him as well as he wanted him to - or maybe understood him too well.

But he wasn't going to kill Birkin, and he wished Birkin understood that.

"I didn't tie Vanessa up," Stein said thoughtfully. "Though I think you're right that she'd enjoy it."

He stroked his fingers down Birkin's arm to the restraint. "Are you really that scared?" With a flick of his fingers, he released the catch, freeing Birkin's right arm. "Are you going to run away from me, now? Or should we go back and sit down, and enjoy the rest of our evening?"

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin raised his arm to his face, wiping most of the blood onto his sleeve. Yet another stain to add to his "collection". He thought about Stein's question for a second. "If you're releasing me of your own choosing, there's no reason for me to run. Besides, I need a few drinks after that." He smirked.

What was Stein's secret? He'd never had any test subject react so quickly and succumb to their fears without even an incision... But then, he knew what the other scientist was capable of and the sorts of things he'd be more than willing to do. But with one arm free, Birkin's confidence came back with a vengeance.

[screwloose]

Stein brightened considerably, his own confidence beginning to return. As he'd said before, relationships were difficult for him, and he hadn't been certain of this once he'd done it. But perhaps Birkin understood better than he'd feared.

He was also somewhat pleased that he hadn't had to make any incisions to get the truth out of his friend. That might have been even more awkward afterwards.

"No reason not to enjoy ourselves," he said cheerfully, moving around the table and releasing Birkin's legs and his other arm. He wasn't worried about retaliation. "And the headache should fade quickly, though you might experience a bit of weakness. I gave you quite a jolt." He offered his hand to help Birkin down from the table.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin sat up, ignoring the rush of dizziness that hit him. Whether it was Stein's fault or because he'd been drinking, the scientist didn't really know, but he wasn't sure he actually cared. He stared Stein's hand warily for a moment, then back up at his cheerful face before figuring he could touch it without getting another shock. He swung his legs over the side of the table and grabbed Stein's hand, hoisting himself to the floor.

"Can you... Kill someone by doing that?" Birkin leaned heavily on his companion, clutching onto his arm, far too exhausted to actually bother holding himself up. A moment later, he straightened himself a bit and began walking, albeit shakily, back to the living room with a bit of a smirk on his face. "And just so you know, I've learned my lesson and will never make fun of your bolt again."

[screwloose]

Stein laughed. "Good, good," he said, letting go of Birkin's hand but keeping an eye on him as they walked back, past the room with the living corpse on its table, and out to the living room. He immediately refilled the beakers of rum and sat down on the couch where they'd been before.

"I could probably kill someone with repeated jolts," he said. "But I haven't actually tried it, yet."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin immediately collapsed on the couch and took a gulp of rum. If he remembered any of this in the morning, it certainly wasn't from lack of trying. "You said you've killed serial killers though. Or do you just do that the old fashioned way?" He sat in silence for a few minutes, toying with the notion of asking Stein how long he was unconscious or if he really would have cut him open if not for that promise, but he firmly decided he didn't want to know. "Before I leave, I should probably shower or something. If I go back looking like this, someone's bound to notice. You don't mind, do you?"

[screwloose]

"Usually I use my Weapon to kill," Stein said agreeably. "Spirit can transform into a scythe, and I am his meister, again." It had been nice to have the solid presence of Spirit in his hands again, their souls back in harmony once more, that's for sure.

He cocked his head and nodded. "Sure, of course I don't mind. Though you might want to do that now, or tomorrow, because I don't know how much longer you're going to be able to stand. I estimate you'll probably wind up sleeping it off on my couch, anyway."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

"He can do what?" What the fuck was up with this world? Well, people could evidently electrocute others whenever they damn well felt like it so other people turning into scythes wasn't so far fetched. Other than, you know, the fact that it was. He set the beaker down on the table again. "You've cut him open, right? Is there any difference in his anatomy because he can do that?" Not that Birkin would really know the answer in the morning, but he still had to ask.

Birkin smirked slightly, drawing his legs up onto the couch. "The couch? Stein, I'm hurt!" The scientist gasped in mock-offense. "I might try to get promoted to an actual bed by flirting with you again if you're not careful." He reached over and grabbed the beaker, taking another drink while raising an eyebrow in Stein's direction. In truth, he really didn't mind sleeping on the couch, he just knew his back would be very angry with him in the morning if he did.

[screwloose]

Stein nodded eagerly just at the memory of all of those long nights, cutting Spirit up and poking around inside him, then sewing him back up again before morning. "Oh yes, Weapons are just like you and me, but with a special power. It seems to run in families, though Maka inherited her mother's prowess as a Meister instead of becoming a Weapon like her father. The Thompson twins can both turn into identical handguns, for example, and Tsubaki's whole family turn into various ninja weapons."

He smirked and took a drink himself, his own eyebrows rising. "Well, I thought you might be nervous, but if you prefer... it won't take much flirting to get upgraded."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin nodded slowly. Made sense that it was genetic. Maybe one day he'd try to figure out which one was the dominant trait. "As long as you aren't planning to take me down to the lab in the middle of the night and experiment on me, I have no reason to be nervous. And even if you were, it's not especially inconvenient for you to carry me from your couch. If that is what you want from me, my fate is more or less sealed." He managed to smile pleasantly. Despite that earlier... Indiscretion, Birkin still inexplicably trusted Stein.

Finishing off the rest of his glass, the scientist remember why he hated going on dates: He really hated flirting with people. "I..." Birkin was originally planning on just doing what Vanessa would do. But then he realized Vanessa would probably just unzip his pants and go from there, which would require at least another beaker of rum. "You wouldn't mind sharing," he whispered into Stein's ear. A hand was placed gingerly on the other man's thigh.

"Would you, Doctor?" Birkin was thankful he wasn't stuttering this time, though he was fairly positive his was that lovely shade of cherry red that he always seemed to turn in these situations. He stared at the scar on Stein's cheek for a second before smirking and realizing he might actually have something to work with there. "Maybe you could show me the rest of your scars." He quirked an eyebrow and let a mischievous smile take over his face.

Vanessa really was a bad influence on him.

[screwloose]

Stein blinked in startlement when Birkin actually put his hand on his thigh. While all the flirting up to now had seemed like deliberate jokes, this was a signal that he couldn't deny.

What was it with people visiting him and jumping his bones lately, anyway? Vanessa had to have put something in Birkin's drink? Though perhaps it was the drink that was the reason, after all.

"I wouldn't mind sharing," he said, setting the beaker down gingerly in such a way so as not to force Birkin to shift his hand off of his thigh. And I'd be happy to show you the rest of my scars."

He smirked and shifted forward. "But are you really prepared for what I have to offer?" And he captured Birkin's lips aggressively.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Well, that was something Birkin wasn't expecting. The scientist sat there, completely dumbstruck and stiff as a board, not really sure how to react. How the hell did he even get himself into this? That bed had better be worth all this... He clasped the collar of Stein's labcoat, slowly starting to kiss him back.

Birkin broke the kiss a few moments, blushing madly. "So... Where's that bed you promised?"

[screwloose]

That blush was actually adorable, and Stein caught hold of the collar of Birkin's shirt and twisted it a little, until it was a bit too tight. "It's not far away," he murmured.

"Did you still want that shower first?"

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin grabbed onto Stein's wrist gently, coughing a little. He'd been half-strangled like by Wesker quite a few times; he had a method for gaining pity and getting himself released. "That all depends. Which answer is going to get you to let me breathe again?" A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Though, the shower might wake me up a bit so..." If it wasn't for the rum, Birkin would seriously be questioning where that last statement came from. At least he actually had a valid excuse for his behavior.

[screwloose]

Stein wasn't quite choking him, and he knew it. He grinned, easing up on the pressure just a tad, but not letting go.

"Well, you did say you wanted to wash the blood off. Why don't I show you where the bathroom is and you can freshen up, and then we can head to bed?" he suggested.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

So, his little trick didn't work on Stein. Interesting. He looked down at Stein's hand for a moment. "You really like leading me by the neck, don't you?" First with the tie, now this. Next thing he knew, he was going to be wearing a collar like Vanessa.

"Sounds... Sounds great." The phrase 'we can head to bed' wasn't one Birkin got to hear that often. Especially coming from other men. He swallowed nervously. "Lead the way."

[screwloose]

"I like that you like it," Stein said, meaning that it made Birkin nervous and Stein didn't want to scare him off completely by breaking out the scalpel.

He released him finally and gave him a pat on the shoulder before getting up. His cigarette leaked ash onto the floor as he headed for a different door from the one leading to his laboratory. "Come on. Living area is this way."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin swallowed hard. If the night ended with him being found dead in a pit in the basement... Well, that would put a damper on things to say the least. He stood up, following closely behind Stein, half-wondering why he didn't just get a 'Through that door, fifth room on the right' or something. "Th-thank you. For letting me stay here tonight..." he mumbled.

The scientist chuckled a bit. "You know, when I originally brought up the idea of us having a drink together, this isn't quite what came to mind." If nothing else, he was figuring it would involve less kissing. And if anyone was going to be bleeding, he figured it would be some poor Licker or something, not himself.

[screwloose]

The hallways were dim and a bit labyrinthine, and Stein didn't want to risk Birkin getting lost in his house. He might encounter things neither of them wanted Birkin to see.

He chuckled as well, feeling the same way. "I didn't picture this, either. i was thinking we might have a drink or two, cut something up." He glanced over his shoulder at Birkin, smirking. "But I'm not complaining, are you?"

He grabbed the handle of a heavy steel door and opened it, revealing a claustrophobic bathroom with a shattered mirror over the chipped sink. "Here we go. Shower for you, and clean towels are in the cupboard. My bedroom is directly across the hall, so you can't get lost."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

"No, I'm not complaining," Birkin stated simply. In a few ways, that was worse. At least if he was complaining he wouldn't have to justify any of this to himself in the morning and could just write it off as Stein taking advantage of him while he was drunk. He stared at the shattered mirror for several moments before thanking Stein for the directions and shutting himself inside the tiny bathroom.

Birkin genuinely enjoyed the shower; he really needed one at this point, not only thanks to the blood on his face, but also because he had to wash about a week's worth of dirt and grease and grime off of himself. He let himself linger under the water for a bit, but eventually managed to tear away from the faucet and dry himself off.

He appeared in Stein's bedroom a few minutes after that, completely re-dressed other than his labcoat, damp hair hanging limply in his face. Birkin smirked at the other scientist. "Miss me?"

[screwloose]

"I was getting ready," Stein said, turning back to face Birkin as he entered the room. He had pulled off his labcoat while Birkin was in the shower, and his sweater, and his pale, scarred and muscled torso was fully visible now.

He grinned. "You look quite a bit more refreshed now," he added. He rather liked the wet look, in fact.

Crossing the room towards Birkin, Stein reached for him, his mouth capturing Birkin's aggressively.

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin pressed into the kiss. He had to admit, there was something so exhilarating about being kissed so roughly. Perhaps it was just the rum, but submitting seemed to come so much easier to him than dominating did.

Delicately, almost fearfully, he began tracing the stitched-up scars that stood out on Stein's chest. What the hell was Stein actually trying to do? Rip out his heart and give it to someone as a gift? He did seem to have a flair for being a bit dramatic.

"If this is the reaction I get when I shower," he mumbled after breaking their kiss, "I should really start doing it more often..." Birkin sauntered towards the bed, leisurely beginning to unfasten the buttons on his shirt as he walked. He looked over his shoulder at Stein with a smirk. "Coming?"

[screwloose]

"Soon enough," Stein quipped in return, following Birkin towards the bed.

He grabbed the back of his collar and suddenly he had a scalpel in his hand. He slashed downwards, drawing a line of fire right down Birkin's spine and cutting the shirt into two halves.

"I do like good personal hygiene," he added, as if he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.