[RL with Birkin, possibly Krauser and Wesker if they want]

[screwloose]

Stein sat on the floor in his favourite laboratory, the cold of the concrete soaking into his body and leaching the warmth from it even through his clothes and lab coat. He hadn't turned on the lights when he entered the room, so it was nearly pitch-black except for a small square of light that lay across the examination table in the middle.

At some point when talking to Birkin, he had knocked over a rolling tray table, and several beakers had shattered, sprinkling glass like caltrops across the floor.

His phone sat on the floor next to him, forgotten. At thirty he had stopped counting, but Birkin still wasn't here.

He sat against the wall, humming to himself and flinching away from dark movements and shapes that only he could see, his eyes darting around restlessly in their sockets.

Comments

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

"No they shouldn't have," Birkin said matter-of-factly, leaning over slightly and kissing the corner of Stein's lips. "I'd be heartbroken and alone in that case. And I don't think I'd like that very much. I... Would almost rather you go to Medusa than die. At least I have the possibility of getting you back with one of them." Although the thought of sharing with her of all people made Birkin slightly sick to his stomach.

Birkin couldn't help but smirk when Stein added on that sentence about him. It sounded like he meant it, which admittedly was a bit... Sweet. Birkin's cheeks turned pink, but whether it was from the touch or the compliment he wasn't really sure.

He was, however, pretty sure that it would be sickly easy to make an argument that he was just taking advantage of Stein when he was like this, so other than the blush and moving slightly closer, Birkin ignored the touch. "You'll be able to fight again soon. Save your world and all that. There'll be a big party in your honor. A parade maybe." He really is too damn heroic. Birkin smiled warmly. "But let's just focus on getting you to recover right now, okay?"

[screwloose]

Stein laughed, and it sounded slightly less mad this time. The thought of a parade in his honour was rather attractive, but also ludicrous.

Though one never really knew with Shibusen.

"She wants to make herself a god," he whispered. "Sweep away everything, so there's nothing to stop her from doing anything she wants. All the witches want that..." He smirked. "And there's a part of me that wants that, too. But I won't make that selfish bitch into a god to bring it about."

He leaned closer, his hand sliding under the waistband of Birkin's pants to rest on his hip. "I'm...so tired," he admitted. "Haven't slept since...I don't remember."

[touchofgenius.livejournal.com]

Birkin's mood brightened considerably at the more normal laugh. Progress - just what he liked to see.

He snickered under his breath at the idea of Medusa making herself a god. "That sounds like someone we both know... Maybe you should get her some sunglasses and see if all potential gods like them." No wonder Stein was so conflicted about making nice with Medusa. If she was anything like Wesker, she was going to be charismatic and go a little nuts with the promises... Who wouldn't want that?

"Then let's get you to bed." Birkin slid off the operating table. At least he'd finally manage to fall back asleep now. "...And let's get me to bed too. It's been a long night."

[screwloose]

Stein sniggered, too. He had also made the mental connection between Medusa and Wesker, though he hadn't really had a chance to express his distaste towards the whole idea of a self-styled god.

"There is no god," he said sagely, but with a manic glint to his eyes as he slid from the table and moved to follow Birkin out of the room.