Nurturing The Roots

Your kitchen smells like savory spices, sauce and meat. There's a glow from the kitchen light that illuminates the apartment, enveloping you as you clean up after dinner.

Hands roam your behind and legs, tugging you backwards against a solid chest. You smile as Zeno's lips trail your shoulder.

"Dinner was wonderful, darling," he says, massaging your hips.

"One night you'll have to brave the kitchen," you laugh, drying your hands.

"Only if you teach me," Zeno says, turning you around to face him. He smiles softly as you wrap your arms around the back of his neck. "The last thing I want is to set your place on fire."

"If you did, I'd have to stay somewhere," You say, rolling your eyes.

He gives you a thoughtful peck on the cheek before resting his forehead against yours.

"It'd be a shame if you had no where else to go," he hums, "I suppose if I'm the one who burned your apartment down, I would have to insist you come stay with me."

A knock echoes at the door.

Zeno is joking. He's brought it up before, tentatively; after four years of being together, it was a wonder you didn't already live with each other. But...

You'd spent a long time trying to be okay with living by yourself after your late husband passed. You and Albert had been together for ten years; only now, ten years after his death, were you able to sleep alone without the television on for comfort. You need your space.

And Zeno is wonderfully understanding of that. His gentle mind has helped you heal greatly over the last four years.

The knock on the door returns, louder this time. You kiss Zeno quickly, sliding past him as you head to the door. He leans against the kitchen counter and unbuttons his sleeve cuffs, rolling them up his forearms. You turn the door knob. Behind you, Zeno snaps his head up as the door opens.

A man stands on the other side.

You step back. Blood rushes away from your fingers and cheeks, leaving you cold.

Albert stands before you.

He's breathing hard, as if he'd be running. He looks...older, and somehow the exact same as he did ten years ago. Dark, strange eyes. A bit dishelved. Alive. Albert says your name. His voice sounds the same.

It's not him. It can't be. You know for a fact he died. They couldn't even bring back his body. There was nothing left of him.

"What..." You shake your head, stepping back further. "...Can...Can I help you?"

The man who looks like Albert furrows his eyebrows. He says your name again, as if reminding himself.

"...Darling," he says, tilting his head. "I know that it's been a long time, but--"

He reaches for you.

Zeno is between the two of you in the blink of an eye, protectively holding out his arm in front of you. The Albert look-a-like drinks in Zeno's appearance, eyebrows slowly narrowing. The air thickens from uncertainty.

"What is all this?" he asks slowly.

"Albert Wesker," Zeno says quietly. He looks at you.

You shake your head. Is this really...? "There's no... There's no way. They told me--"

"--That I had died?" Albert finishes for you. He closes his eyes, nodding slowly. He glances behind him into the hallway. "Let's discuss this inside."

Zeno is still looking at you. Waiting for you to decide what you want to do. You nod silently. Zeno steps to the side, wrapping his arm around your waist as Albert walks inside. His gait is the same-- You can't help but watch him. It's strange, seeing him after all these years.

You spent so long wishing he was home. That somehow, he would waltz through your door like nothing happened. But now that he's here, alive and well in your living room, he seems so...out of place. He isn't meant to be there, on your couch. Light catches the wedding band on his hand. You stopped wearing yours three years ago.

You sit down on the ottoman across from him, but Zeno doesn't follow. You look up at him and he squeezes your shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm going to smoke. I'll be back," he says.

You nod. It's his own way of giving you space. Albert watches him as he heads to the balcony. Zeno is far enough to let you talk privately, but close enough that he can step in if he needs to. Albert's jaw moves like he wants to speak, but he doesn't.

"His name is Zeno," you say quietly as the balcony door slides shut.

Albert nods, watching Zeno's back.

"How long have you been together?" Albert asks. You can't read his tone.

"Four years," you say. When silence falls between you two, you add, "He's nothing like you. He's his own person."

Albert chuckles at that, looking away. He clasps his hands together in front of him, watching the metal glint of his ring. "At the very least, I feel better knowing they can't clone my personality."

His joke falls flat as you both laugh uncomfortably.

"What happened?" you ask.

Albert shifts his seating some.

"They thought they could kill me. I spent a few years recovering from the incident in Africa. My 'death' provided me some cover to move out from under Tricell. But I couldn't come back to you quickly, not without alerting them."

You nod slowly. All this time. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't. I didn't..." he paused for a moment. "...I couldn't put you in further danger. You would have wanted me here, and I couldn't come home."

You swallow down the anger bubbling up in your throat.

"Albert, I... I've been mourning you for ten years. We both worked for Umbrella and--and you act like I'm some civilian who's never heard of the concept of secrecy." You can't stay seated. You stand up, pacing around the living room. "No funeral. No explanation. You fucking disappear for ten years and all I get is an apologetic voicemail from corporate."

Albert doesn't speak.

"Ten years! And you're back here, for--for what?" You pause in your pacing, turning to him expectantly.

He lets you breathe for a moment. When Albert speaks again, he looks back out at Zeno on the balcony.

"I didn't expect you to move on, even after all these years."

You'd never really moved on. The pain of losing Albert had subsided some over time, but you feel the draw now; A deep part of you needs him to hold you, to press your skin against his and breathe in his air--

Wind rattles the balcony door, snapping your attention from Albert to Zeno.

Zeno.

Zeno, who'd patiently waited for you to open up enough to talk about Albert's death. Who protected you from The Connections as much as he could. Who never tried taking Albert's place, even knowing that he was the blueprint to his very existence.

"I didn't expect to move on, either," you say softly. You cross your arms, hugging yourself comfortingly. "...He's been good to me, Albert. I... I love him."

Silence between the two of you. You can't look at him. He can't seem to meet your eyes. You sniff, wiping the tears prickling your eyes. Albert stands. He reaches for you, but he can't bring himself to touch you. His hand freezes there, in midair.

The balcony door opens. Cigarette smoke wafts in and Zeno stands there for a moment, unsure of if he should come in. His eyes meet your teary gaze and he comes to you. Albert retracts his hand as you wrap your arm around Zeno's waist.

"I want to..." you say, "Maybe...not right now. But...But--"

What are you even saying? Your head is stuffy, just filled with too much happening at once. Just like old times, however, Albert picks up on what you mean without even trying.

"I'll keep in touch," he says softly.

"You're welcome to stay, if you need," Zeno offers. His hand presses against the small of your back.

A ghost of a smile crosses Albert's face and he shakes his head politely. "I appreciate it. But I'll be nearby."

You fight the urge to beg him to stay. At the door, Albert turns to you. Before you can say anything, he cups your face in his hand and presses his lips to your forehead. You swallow thickly as he pulls away.

The door closes behind him. Just like it did when he left for Africa. Zeno accepts you into his arms, stroking your hair as you bury your face into his silk shirt. He smells familiar, like cigarette smoke and cologne. His voice rumbles in his throat as he says your name.

"...I understand if you want to..." he doesn't finish. You shake your head and look up at him.

"I don't know what him and I are going to do. But I want to be with you," you say.

Relief floods his face, and he rests his chin on the top of your head. You both stand there for a long time, holding each other. Wondering how Albert's return will affect your relationship. Maybe it will, maybe it won't.