Pairing: Zeno Wesker x fem!reader
Summary: After weeks of not hearing from him, Zeno returns with a request. What he didn't think was that it contains you venting about the past.
SFW: a little cameo of a place we haven't seen since RE5, blood, vomit, corpses, death, slowbuuuurn, a lot of nostalgia
Note: This took longer than expected đ but it was a lot of fun to write this one! Idk why but I had a red haired reader in mind while writing this. I can imagine Albert being fascinated by unique things. We're so close to 100 followers, I can't believe it!
It has been a few months now since Zeno had snuck his life into yours. He even explained to you why he was here to begin with. The Connections, someone he was working for, needed some information regarding Albert. You were the perfect person to ask, seeing how much time you had spent with the man.
Zeno had been visiting you frequently now and kept charming his way into your heart. Not like what you'd expect, like a mafia boss who tortured people for information. He'd been getting you flowers and chocolates he somehow knew you liked whenever coming around.
Today was no different. The last time he was at your place was like a few weeks ago and you already thought you wouldn't see him again. A ring at the door and when opening the door there he was.
Zeno was dressed as always in his fine suit, a black one for once, and his usual jacket draped over his shoulders. Today he really did resemble Albert, and it made your heart ache.
âLike I said I would.â
A small smile forms on your lips, eyes moving down to the flowers in his hands. Just like always he brought your favorite ones. Zeno holds them out for you to take, which you do while motioning him to follow you inside.
He as always makes himself comfortable on your couch, sitting with his legs crossed and looking a little stiff, but Albert was just the same. It's as if he had come back to you in another body.
You make your way to the kitchen to finally put something in the empty vase again. Just a week ago you had to throw the old flowers away since they were withering away. Only a few petals could be saved to frame and hang them on a wall. Just like always you decide to make some tea for Zeno, even sparing a small slice of pie for him that you had baked just yesterday.
When returning to the living room you leave the tray just in front of him on the coffee table. It felt rather familiar. You remember bringing your husband his favorites to his office while talking about your day, even if he was busy. God how you missed Albert even more now that Zeno was sitting here.
âOh,you didn't have to.â
Zeno chuckles and takes a small bite of the pie, the sweetness coating his tongue in a foreign way. Usually he wasn't accustomed to something this sugary, the frosting sticking to every corner of his mouth almost annoyingly stubborn. His hand immediately reaches for the cup with steaming hot tea, his favorite, and washes the pie down with it.
You plant yourself next to him, brushing over some crumbs on your black leggings to get them off.
âIt's nice to see you again.â you break through the silence with an audible smile.
Zeno looks over to you with his cup still in hand. A small smile tugs at his lips and can't help stare at you. Never in his life had he met you before that night he had broken into your apartment, but something inside of him felt like you weren't a mere stranger.
âItâs nice to be back.â
Just like him you just.. stare. It's not everyday you see someone who resembles your long gone husband.
After another round of silence he finally breaks it with the sound of his cup hitting the coffee table. He looks over to you, thinking of how to start the conversation. That soft look in his eyes made your heart melt and you had to restrain yourself to fall into his arms.
âThe reason for me returning..â
You continue to stare at him, the sparkle in your eyes growing alongside your smile. It's almost sad.
â..is because The Connections. We see huge potential regarding something we found in our files that traces back to your husband.â
Your smile falls and you just tilt your head to look at Zeno closer. He had told you before who he worked for and that they wanted you for the information, but now they really did need you for something.
âSo you're back for.. that?â
âWhat else could there be?â
Your cheeks start to burn. You couldn't just tell him you wanted him back just to feel the presence of your husband. âN-Nothing..uhm.. so.. what were you saying?â
Zeno frowns, but continues anyway.
âVery well. The Connections have found something called Elpis made by Oswell E. Spencer. We need information on what the key to it is.â
Those words left you dumbfounded. You hadn't heard about Spencer since his death, seeing how Albert refused to talk about him. And if he didn't want anything mentioned in your household it stayed that way.
âA-And you think..â you start. â..I know something?â
Zeno shakes his head. âNo, but your husband clearly might've.â
âAren't you his clone? Don't you have any memories regarding stuff like that?â
He tenses up, clearly not having expected you to ask something like that. Yes, he was a clone but an even inferior one. He hated being reminded that he wasn't close to being as strong as the original. You flinch as he abruptly gets up, walking into the middle of the room while gazing up.
âI don't have all the memories from his lifetime. Only bits and pieces.â
Instead of asking stupid questions again you decide to get up and join him. You hesitate as you slowly put a shaky hand on his upper arm. He immediately tenses up, head moving in your direction unlike his eyes that are hidden behind the shades. He felt exactly like your Albert. Same warmth and all.
âI didn't mean to make you upset.â Your eyes were the epitome of innocence in comparison to everything that not only Albert but also Zeno had done. You weren't pure, but not as rotten as some people out there. Zeno felt the need to protect you.
Zeno turns to fully face you, taking your hand off of him to hold them in both in his surprisingly gentle touch. Both of you just stare in silence, your heart nearly beating out of your chest.
Not knowing what to do, Zeno uses one of his hands to brush a loose strand of hair behind your ear, keeping it there to cup your cheek. Your eyes move to his lips, mind filling with the thought of how he kissed.
Were they the same as Albert's? Would he push you off?
Just as your lips were about to press against his he pulls away, clearing his throat and taking a few steps back. His hands pry yours away carefully.
âMay I take a look inside your husband's office?â he changes the topic, adjusting the shades on the top of his nose. âMaybe he had something inside his files that could help us.â
You smile nervously,which turns into an awkward chuckle. With your fingers you brush some of your hair back. âSure. This way.â Zeno follows you to a huge black door, the knob golden alongside the hinges. You fish out a similarly golden key that was hanging off your chain around your neck.
As you direct the key to the lock your hand starts to shake alongside that painful beating in your chest. It hadn't even been a few weeks and you were back in this cursed room. Just as you thought you'd never be able to open the door, a steady hand moves onto yours. As you look back you see Zeno doing it for you, helping you turn the little object.
You step back, ashamed at how weak you seemed to be even after ten years. âS-Sorry.. uhm.. before we go inside I have to warn you. It's.. not as clean as it used to be.â
Zeno pays you no mind and just pushes the door open, looking in to make his own impression.
Multiple cardboard boxes were stacked on the other, dust everywhere alongside that feeling that the room hadn't been allowed air in years. Other than that everything was untouched. That empty tea cup alongside that unwashed coat that still held that Wesker cologne.
âI couldn't bring it over my heart to wash them.â
Zeno just looks across the mess that used to be an organized workplace from his former self. If you could consider Albert the same as Zeno. They were different in many ways. One was distant and calculated, loving his experiments more than any money while the other dressed in the most expensive suits and couldn't live without money to his name.
His fingers trace over one of the couches that stood sideways in front of the desk, raising them to look at the dirt that stained his gloves. Instead of directly focusing on the files he opened one of the boxes that was on the desk. Many identical shades and gloves were stacked on the other, which he gets a hold on to study them thoroughly. They were basic and not as special as his, just.. normal.
Zeno scoffs quietly before he eyes a framed picture on the desk, the dust almost covering everything except two faces that were seemingly wiped away not long ago. He sets down the shades and picks up the photograph.
It was Albert and a slightly younger looking you with short hair. The former was looking grim as ever, shockingly no shades on his nose, and you were smiling as if you hadn't been as happy in forever. Judging by the veil it was your wedding day. Zeno brushes over the whole picture, the dust once again staining his expensive glove. Barely visible on the lower right was something inscribed.
Mr. and Mrs. Wesker, Summer 1995
You creep up behind him, eyeing whatever he was looking at. Your heart plummets as you realize that it was your wedding picture. Slowly you collect yourself and smile, thinking of something to say.
âIt was a wedding with benefits at first.â
Zeno turns his head to look at you, clearly surprised that you even said something in the first place. He knew how sensitive the topic was for you. The very little memories from Albert and his time with you that were floating through his mind were the purest he had.
You take the picture from him to put it back on the desk, hand caressing the frame with the most gentle touch you could muster. The past was flying through your thoughts like a painful remembrance.
âAfter serving in the army, Umbrella wanted him to act as a mole inside the RPD.â you scoff, a lump forming in your throat. âAnd of course they couldn't have anyone suspect him. What else would be more unsuspicious than being newly wed?â
Zeno turns to you, eyebrows furrowing at the revelation. It was obvious that the Albert Wesker couldn't have married out of love, but being recruited to marry him?
âOf course.â you let out a bitter laugh. âThat's what working for Umbrella does to you. They own you.â
You quickly mask the sadness with a smile, turning to face him again. âYou said you needed some files. Be my guest.â
Instead of continuing to squeeze unimportant information out of you he works through the many boxes and even the dusty computer, which hadn't been turned on since 2009. You order every box once again so it wasn't as cluttered in the usually bigger office. Those things really did take away a lot of space and charm from the room.
Loading up the files on the computer took longer than expected and during the wait you had decided to dig through some boxes you didn't even know you had packed. Zeno's presence was somehow calming to you. Seeing all these nostalgic items made your heart ache less and seeing him was like seeing Albert, as if he never died.
Currently you were looking through a box that had been stowed away in the farthest corner. Your fingers grazed something soft, making you frown. What could that be? As you pull it out, dust already clouding through the air, you slowly realize what it is.
âNo way!â You laugh to yourself, fingers gently brushing over the soft fur of what seems like some sort of plushie. âMr. Raccoon!â You turn around with the little stuffed animal, grinning like you've never done before.
âWhat's that thing?â Zeno asks with a rather disgusted undertone.
You quirk an eyebrow while letting out an over dramatic gasp, holding up the raccoon plushie like it was the most precious item you owned. âYou don't know who Mr. Raccoon is?!â
Zeno gets up from the office chair, expression stoic as ever. âNo.â His words had a slightly disgusted yet curious undertone to it. âJudging by the name, I'm guessing it's a Raccoon City thing?â
It was more than that for you, but nonetheless you agree with a simple nod. A wave of grieving nostalgia washes over you as you look into the dust covered eyes of the little toy. âAlbert took me to one of those fairs alongside his colleagues.â
Zeno carefully takes the raccoon from your hands, turning it so it was staring directly at him. âThe ones from the RPD?â
You nod, your heart going back to aching like someone was squeezing it from the inside. âThey wanted to get to know their captain's wife.â
Even if he tried to hide it, Zenoâs eyes softened just a fraction behind those shades. You lock eyes with the floor, not wanting to cry in front of him. From the corner of your view you could see the computer's screen load and you tap his shoulder to make him look that way, changing the topic once more.
He hands you the raccoon and makes his way to the computer. While he looks through everything he could find, you stand there while holding the plush to your chest like a little child. Your eyes spot files with photos and even huge document files that were related to past experiments Albert sometimes told you about.
With the way Zeno was staring at the screen it was obvious that there was nothing important to what he needed. Nonetheless he clicked on everything.
âIs it alright if I copy everything to a USB?â
âSure. I have no need for it anyway.â
Just like he asked, Zeno sticks a USB inside the computer, downloading everything that seemed important for other projects in the future. His finger stops clicking as soon as he reads through another file.
âHmm.. Spencer has another mansion in Europe?â
âOh, yeah! It's his family home. Albert sometimes traveled there for work.â
âAnd where he killed Spencer if those fragments of memories are correct.â
You look away, not expecting something like that to come up. It was trivial to what Zeno was pursuing. Albert hadn't told you exactly what happened that night at the Spencer castle, but he did share small details.
âAlright.â Zeno rips you out of your thoughts, leaning away from the computer to let the files copy over to the stick. âFirst flight's ours.â He turns to the window of the office, opening it to let some air inside. The dust makes you cough a little.
âWait what? What do you mean.. ours?â you wag your hand in front of your face to get the dust away from you. âI thought you only needed the information from me.â
âExactly. But I don't have enough information about Elpis, do I?â
âI thought you know what it is.â
Zeno chuckles to himself, crossing his arms in front of his broad shoulder. He shakes his head, taking a step in your direction. âI know that it is supposed to be powerful.â Another step. âBut where, what or how it is supposed to be opened is still a mystery to me.â His hand moves to your face, but dips lower to get ahold of Mr. Raccoon. âJust like this thing.â
Your cheeks were red from how close he was, your lips agape and eyes widened. His focus directs back to the computer, noticing that the files had been fully copied over to that USB. He walks past you to take it, looking at it for a split second before it goes back into one of his pockets. âYou should dress suitable for exploring an abandoned place.â
His eyes move up and down to look at what you were wearing, clearly judging you.
âWhat's wrong with my clothes? I mean.. yeah not good for climbing into dirty holes, but..â
âChange.â His tone was firm and finalized this talk.
You hold your hands up in defeat, smiling nervously. âOkay, okay. Give me a second.â
A second was an understatement. It took about twenty minutes for you to come out of your room in your new clothes. You had decided on some skinny jeans tucked into some brown ankle boots, a simple turquoise shirt under that red jacket with the fur at the neckline. Your hair was tucked up into a ponytail, messy yet practical.
You strike a small pose in front of Zeno, who had sat back down in the living room. The heat in your cheeks return as you see him hold Mr. Raccoon like a little kid, his eyes moving up and down once again.
Zeno huffs, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. As if not satisfied, but not wanting to wait any longer, he gets up and eyes you again. âIt'll do.â Those words make you boil both in anger and in amusement. He was so different yet the same to your Albert. It hurt.
Now that he was here it didn't feel as painful to leave the only home you had behind for now. Visiting Spencer's family home would probably change your life forever, seeing how important you were to not only the Connections but also Zeno. They'd take you with them and never let you see that last part of your old life again.
Before leaving you took another look at everything you'd probably not see again for the time being. The only things you could take with you were your gun, some ammo and a few keepsakes like that necklace with the office key attached to it. It was like taking part of Albert with you, just like having Zeno by your side.
âYou coming?â Speak of the devil. The blonde copy of your husband stood just outside of the apartment, watching you stand in the entrance like a hawk. He was confused as to why all of this meant so much to you. It was ten years all by yourself so why did you act like you were frozen in time? Yes, he had memories of you which weren't his to begin with, memories that even had him crazy to look for you. If it weren't for those trivial snippets he wouldn't have convinced The Connections to even begin a search for a certain woman that matched your description.
You turn your head to look at him with a small sad smile, nodding before locking the door behind you. The walk out of the complex felt awkward, quiet and too calm for your liking. Outside a fancy looking car was waiting, making you stop in your tracks to study it. A man steps out of the driver side, walking around to open the door for both of you. It was strange to have such luxury, if you could even call it that.
The inside of the SUV looked even fancier than the outside. Zeno and you were all alone, a partition cutting off the front from the back. Leg room was enough for you to feel like a princess. The best thing in there was the smell though. You couldn't quite make out what exactly it smelled like, but you did notice the faint scent of vanilla.
Just like before the whole thing was awkward,but not uncomfortable for some reason. Sitting beside Zeno felt rather nice, as if it was like it should be. You sat there in silence until you heard a click alongside the smell of smoke, overtaking that vanilla scent. As you turn your head to look at Zeno, your eyebrows shoot up as you see him smoking. You knew he was a smoker, an addicted one at that, but inside the car?
He stops mid draw while giving you a side eye in a comical way before exhaling the smoke.
He takes another puff to spite you, exhaling the smoke away from your face. Instead of answering he just continued what he was doing, cheeks hollowing as he took puff after puff. You just rolled your eyes, letting your head fall against the tinted window with a scoff.
After a while your eyes feel heavy. That was just how you were, always sleepy while driving in a car, especially on the back seat. It felt nice to relax once in a while, but what was not was waking up to half the car fogged up by smoke. A half conscious frown appeared on your face followed by a startled cough. As your eyes focus on where the smoke show was coming from you realize it's Zeno following his addiction again.
âNot this again..â you fully sat up now, side eyeing him like a hawk. You were completely restraining yourself not to take that little cigarette from him and shove it up his you-know-where.
âGood morning, sleeping beauty.â Zeno smirks, clearly trying to rile you up even more. âSlept well?â
Just like him, you cross one leg over the other, your arms copying the movement. âI was only resting my eyes.â Just like that you were avoiding his gaze all together.
Zeno takes an especially long drag from his cigarette before pressing it into the ashtray. He couldn't help letting out an amused chuckle. âFor like an hour? Sure.â
You open your mouth to say something,but the car suddenly comes to a halt. Immediately you look out the window to see a huge open space with a jet just standing there like it was the most normal thing in the world. A hand suddenly comes up to close your jaw, which you didn't even know had fallen open from surprise.
âNever seen a jet before, have you?â
âI'm pretty sure your husband was a rich man.â
âHe used the money for work not luxorious leisure.â
The conversation (if you could even call it that) gets interrupted by the driver opening your side of the car first, offering you a hand to get out. You found it exaggerated, but didn't say anything besides a small âthank you.â
Feeling shocked was an understatement to what you were seeing, because how the hell did a jet get here without any people crowding around to see who it belonged to. You almost forgot about Zeno, who suddenly came to your side, resting a hand on your lower back to make you walk in the direction of the stairs that lead to the jet's entrance.
Your eyes immediately find his face, mouth wide as if you wanted to say something. He just holds his arm to you, which you hesitantly grab. It felt like being part of a married couple again, strolling through the last years alive like those old people who held the promise for forever.
Awaiting you at the top of the stairs were two very fancy dressed women, clearly forcing a smile. They greeted Zeno like he was some sort of huge personality which after a while seemed to rub off on you too. Those stewardesses seemed to think you were more than some stranger to him.
The arrival felt warmer than any welcome before. Everything was brought to you, be it snacks or drinks. It felt almost.. amusing? Zeno seemed to catch onto that small smile and immediately knew what was going on.
âKnew you'd like it.â
Those words immediately wiped that grin off your face as you stuffed some chips into your mouth. Your eyebrow once again quirked, feigning confusion. âWhat? The snacks?â
Zeno chuckles again, a bit softer and warmer than usual. âNot just the snacks. Everything.â
You avoid his eyes, putting down the chips bag to try and not look as happy as he meant. The little back and forth gets once again interrupted, this time the jet starting with the faint voice of the pilot in the background. In minutes you're up above, your apartment complex that used to be your only world for the past ten years. How big everything was beyond that bubble was shocking.
That smile returned, your eyes entranced by the clouds hovering over the city. Unbeknownst to you Zeno wasn't looking either at the scenery or anywhere else, but.. you. He found your eyes enchanting with the way the light got caught in them. Those recollections of holding you and kissing you were etched in the back of his mind. Useless memories to his cause, to who he was and why he existed in the first place. Those feelings were the exact opposite to what Albert had probably felt in those certain moments. That man had used you for his own benefits and you loved him for it.
One of the stewardesses comes up to you, offering you some drinks which you kindly decline. Your eyes suddenly lock with his and you notice how softened his smile was. Not smug or self-centered. No. He almost looked.. content with you just being here.
You simply addressing him with a slight confused tone made him hide that smile under his gloved hand. He just shakes his head and both of you continue to sit in silence.
Everything's quiet until you smell that smoke once again. You give him that death stare as you watch him light another cigarette. To his surprise you suddenly snatch the lit thing out of his hands and press it into the ashtray in front of him.
âLeave me be, woman.â
âOh, I'll leave you be! Once we're at the bottom of the sea after this thing explodes because of your addiction!â
Itâs pretty difficult to read his expression,his glasses blocking anything that could give you information. Yet the way his muscles tensed up it was obvious you had struck a nerve. But he wasn't gonna fight back in any way. If you knew that he somehow liked being bossed around, God you wouldn't let him forget.
You scoff once more, rolling your eyes at the reaction. âYou really don't care about your health, do you?â
âSmoking isn't healthy.â
âFor normal humans it isn't, darling.â
Even if you tried, those cheeks turned redder by the second. That term of endearment always struck a cord, your heart racing as always.
If you thought the flight wasn't gonna be long then you'd be gravely mistaken. Besides a few small words exchanged you didn't speak a lot with Zeno, not knowing what to talk about outside of the mission. Your body decides it's nap time and your eyes slowly close. Your sleep wasn't filled with any particular dreams except the few faces popping up in your head. Some you recognized but most of them were too fogged up to make out anything.
You suddenly snap awake as the aircraft goes through some turbulence, which you quickly realize is it landing. Finally. You immediately notice Zeno, who looked like he didn't need the sleep you just had, sitting with his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. He seemed to be chewing something. The ashtray was empty, only the single cigarette from earlier in it. He didn't touch a single one from his pack and took advantage of some mint gums (that's what it smells like at least) he had found.
As he looks over to you, making sure you were awake, you immediately snap your eyes away. Your focus immediately shifts to the outside. The landing zone was surrounded by the most beautiful woods you'd ever seen. The trees were covered by the most mysterious fog, that damned smile tugging at your lips again.
The moment the jet stops in its tracks Zeno gets up, offering you his hand. You hesitantly take it and both of you make your way out. The air is cold yet refreshing, hitting you like icy sprays of water. It wasn't all bad and it felt nice to finally breathe in something other than your stuffy apartment or that smoke Zeno seems to love.
You immediately lock eyes with Zeno, who was smiling ear to ear as he held his arm out for you to take. You take it. Of course you do. It felt nice to hold onto him somehow.
As expected you continue the way to the estate by car. You were still a bit sleepy, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hands.
Zeno just sat there like a statue, not moving a muscle until he felt something heavy on his right shoulder. To no one's surprise, it was you knocked out. Instead of pushing you off he just let you sleep, a small smile tugging at his lips.
The British countryside flew by the car, greenish scenery flashing before his eyes. It was long until you arrived at the coastline, the salty smell of the sea was somehow present in the closed enclosure of the car.
Zeno raises his head to look into the direction of the driver who was hidden behind the partition. A deep hum emits from deep inside him, the sound vibrating at your head. He slowly puts an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into a sitting position.
You are awakened by someone's hand brushing over your hair, gentle touches moving over your cheekbones. You almost thought the past decade was a dream and you were back in Albert's arms, but no. Seeing Zeno was almost as good though.
âWe're here.â He helps you fully sit up and you take the chance to fully stretch. The driver opens the door for you and offers you a hand to take.
The sight of the estate was as worn down as you could've imagined. It was still a huge castle-like building, the front door taking up most of the front. Once again you can't help letting your mouth fall open in awe. The many white pillars that were holding up the structure were covered in many vines, giving it something disturbing yet striking at the same time.
Zeno takes firm strides to the porch, which was rather small yet gave the door a larger look. Said door was surprisingly unlocked, giving you both little complications in entering it. The first thing that you notice as you enter is that foul odor coming from every corner of the estate, making you pinch your nose shut.
âWhat's that smell..?â you nearly gag, the scent of death all over the place.
âMixture of death and mold I presume.â
Zeno keeps his eyes forward, walking up the blood stained steps of the foyer. As you follow him you can't help that disgusted expression from forming on your face as you see where part of the smell came from. Many decayed bodies where only small patches of skin and hair were left are spread over the whole upper floor.
You decide to try the door right next to the bodies, but to your disappointment it's locked shut. âFuck. Don't think we're gonna go far beyond here.â
Zeno gets back up after analyzing the corpses and leans over the railings of the stairs, probably looking for another place to get to the main part of the castle. The important files he was looking for couldn't possibly be somewhere near the main entrance.
So you find yourself at the lower part where Zeno had dragged you to. The first both of you see is a crank right next to a door that looks straight out of a prison. The logical thing to do is to turn the crank, which you try to do yet the rust on it makes it almost impossible. Zeno just watches you try and turn it, amusement engraved in his eyes.
âYou need help with that?â
âN-No.. No, I got it!â
You push with all your might, letting out a frustrated scream until it finally starts to rotate. When you turn to do your little victory pose you see Zeno with a single hand on the crank. Your smile quickly dissipates, replaced by a slightly annoyed yet astonished expression. He takes over, reeling the door up so both of you could get through. As he lets go the door slams back down onto the concrete.
You frown, moving to the door to look through it for any kind of clue as to what to do. The first thing you take notice of is another crank just a bit further away, making your eyes wide with realization.
âLook!â You point through the door, motioning Zeno to step closer. âIf one of us slips through we can use that other crank.â
You look up at him with confusion, about to ask what he meant, but he turns around to rotate the crank on your side.
âWhat are youâ Hey!â Zeno pushes you through the open doorframe, making you support yourself against the wall so you wouldn't fall. Concern floods through you as you turn back, full on expecting to be alone on this side of the door. To your surprise Zeno was standing there, fixing his tie as if nothing happened.
He walks past you, keeping his eyes forward and mouth shut. A chill went down your spine, opting you to not say another word and just follow him down the long hallway. The smell grew worse and you couldn't help gagging silently into your hand.
As you head through another door you see a drop hole at the end of the corridor where the smell grows worse and worse. The planks over it looked old and unstable.
âDon't tell me we have toââ
"There's no other way. Or do you want to blow up the door upstairs and risk the whole thing coming down?â
âZeno, I don't think that's a good idea..what ifââ
You let out a startled scream as he suddenly jumps down the hole, quickly running to look down the far drop. Panicked, your breathing becomes ragged, eyes wide and teary. Relief sets in the moment you see him standing there like it was nothing, staring up at you after brushing over his suit. Your head thumps against the wood, a laugh emitting from deep within you.
âYou, idiot.. I really thought, hah..haha..â
âI heard you the first time. Just.. what? You know I can't..â
Your lips quiver at the thought of jumping down such a long drop, nervous laughter tugging at your heart. Even if it felt impossible you still slowly got to your knees and then fully stood up, peeking over the edge to see how far down it was. Zeno just stood there, hands on his hips as he waited.
âAlright.. Alright.. Okay..â You mumble to yourself, hopping a little for a test run. Your hands felt overly sweaty, your racing heart not helpful at all. âHere we.. GO!â
You expect to break a few bones, but the impact to the ground never came. No, instead two steady arms catch your screaming body. When you opened your eyes, which you didn't even notice were closed to begin with, two glowing eyes behind shades stared back at you. Your arms wrap around his neck unconsciously, shaking even as he puts you down.
He awkwardly pats your back, trying not to give into the need for a hug. The wholesome moment is quickly disturbed by you hitting his chest lightly.
âCan't you warn me before you jump?!â
âWell.. I nearly didn't! Gave me a heart attack..â
Zeno sighs, but ultimately motions for the both of you to continue on your way. The place was covered in mold and stains of blood and when you realized why and where it came from you were a little disturbed to say the least. It was a prison under the estate. Mutilated bodies,which didn't even look like humans any more, were locked inside certain jail cells.
You step forward, looking more closely into one of the cells. As your fingers are about to graze the rusted bars, Zeno pulls your arm away.
Roaming through a secret jail that was just as abandoned as the house above it wasn't really on your list for this journey. You come across many bodies and even corpses that showed signs of infections.
Everything went uneventful outside of the many zombie-like carcasses all around the underground. You really didn't think there were more levels to this hellhole until you walked into a circle like room where more cells were. On one side you could see an opening with a slot filled with a rusted circle in it. Past the door there was another void, no ending to it at all.
âNot again..â You sigh in frustration. âZeno.. I'm sure we can go back and just blow up the normal door.â
âToo late for that now. Come on.â
âOh, nononono! Iam NOT jumping down there.â
âYou wanna stay here and keep the dead company?â
You scoff and follow him, staring down the black void. There was no way you'd survive jumping down there.
âI'll be dead if I jump.. Woah!â
Two arms wrap around you, one under your legs and one just beneath your shoulder blades. Your own arms found their way around his neck, not getting any time to react as he suddenly jumps down the deep hole. Of course you scream as the fall makes your heart feel so light it almost stops. Only once you feel nothing but his arms around you, you open your eyes and stare up at him. Your grip unconsciously tightens around him even as he sets you down.
The fuzzy feeling quickly gets replaced by disgust as you feel liquid drench through your shoes. The floor you were on now was filled with dirty water. You didn't even wanna know what it contained. Zeno looked a little bit more annoyed, his expensive suit and shoes ruined by the brown water.
âLet's get out of here. Fast.â
The place looked even worse for wear, the walls and cells looking even more rusty than the ones on the upper floor.
As you wander through the disgusting part of the maze the scary and disturbing sounds grow louder. It was unsettling to say the least. And once you finally made it half way through (or what you think is half way) Zeno suddenly pulls you back by your jacket, just as a huge scythe comes flying down. The dirty water gets splashed all over the both of you, making you gag alongside the sudden shock of the deformed creature that was wielding it.
Zeno immediately shoots at it with his gun, moving in front of you for obvious reasons. Of course you immediately pull your own gun out, hands shaking as you try to aim at it. Your pupils twitch in absolute fear as it tries to impale either one of you with its huge weapon.
You cry out in panic, heart racing at hundreds miles per second. âW-What the fuck is THAT?!â
âNot human. Stay behind me.â
And you do, too scared to even shoot it in its ugly face. Your grip wavers slightly as your skin grows sweatier by the second. Zeno looks back at you, eyes widening as he sees something behind you. And as you look back you see it's another one of them. He quickly grabs at your wrist to pull you fully out of the way.
A sickening sound of someone's flesh being ripped apart enters your ears and as you turn around you see Zeno being impaled by the scythe. Your immediate reaction is to scream and stay frozen in place. His body splashes in the water as he collapses to the ground. You rush to his side, crying out his name.
âZ-Zeno.. No.. No no no no no.. Please don't do this..â
You hug him close, head to your shoulder and hands holding him by the nape. The monsters readied their weapons to finish you off as well and you just sat there, holding the last person you had some sort of love for.
Death never came or at least you didn't feel it. But what came were two ear piercing bangs. You looked up to see Zeno all well in your arms, pointing his smoking revolver at one of the creatures. While checking on his face, your lips twitch as tears roll down your cheeks. He suddenly pulls you up by the arm and starts bolting away. Nothing was worth defeating them even if it was easy for someone like him. It wasn't worth losing a life.
You finally arrive at a ladder, the monsters screech in the background as Zeno tries to help you up. He doesn't climb up himself until he sees you're safely away from the ground. Just as one of the weapons gets impaled through him again he's away from there, following you.
As he arrives up there he sees you collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. The ladder had brought you exactly where you had started, that damned hole you had jumped down. Zeno could've easily jumped over that, but you couldn't. Yes, he could've picked you up, but where was the fun in that? There could've easily been something down there that was important. There wasn't.
Zeno is immediately at your side, helping you sit up and looking out for any cuts that could've gotten infected. Instead he found himself in another bruising hug, you crying into his neck as you held him. One of his hands finally came up to the back of your head, not awkward this time. The other went to your waist.
âI-I thought..that y-you..â
He shushes you, a hesitating brush of his lips placed upon your forehead. He decides to carry you, the whole ordeal from down there having shaken to your core. All the way you bury your face in his neck, not caring that both of you reeked of whatever the hell that was down there.
The halls were quiet other than the wind blowing through the many cracks and destroyed roof tiles. Blood and maggots were covering everything, even the parts you didn't even think death could reach.
And you were tired. Exhausted. Brink of sleep. All of this was something you've never really been through. Your whole marriage you were to play the perfect wife and be at home whenever Albert returned. This was new. This was supposed to be Albert's kind of work. Not yours.
Your whole body was shaking, Zeno's presence the only thing that could soothe it, even if only a little.
His voice cuts through your teeth clattering on each other. You raise your head and see a huge library, which somehow was cleaner than the rest of the estate. Yes, it had some cockroaches on the floor, but other than that no blood was to be seen except a huge stain near the steps to the window. Speaking of the window, the huge framework was shattered and air could get through very easily.
You were feeling very cold, the dirty water clinging to your clothes not making it very better. Instead of immediately searching for answers, Zeno kneels in front of you after placing you on one of the less dirty armchairs. Your eye area was bright red, not only from crying but also from too long exposure of once again whatever that was down there. It didn't really look like anything beyond a harmless infection, but he still had to be cautious.
âHow are you feeling?â
You only kept your arms around your shaking frame, gazing up at him with half-lidded eyes as you tried to say something. He hums, trying to mask how worried he was for your well-being. His hands found yours and they were icy cold, which even he could feel through his soaked gloves. The only thing that came to mind to make you not die of hypothermia was taking his ripped coat off of his shoulders and placing it around you, tucking it in at the sides where wind could come through.
You can't help closing your eyes to take a small nap, clutching the coat close as Zeno looks through the many files that weren't damaged by time.
You don't even know if hours or minutes had passed, but after waking up your head ached so much that even the need to vomit felt painful. Your coughing quickly alerted Zeno, who once again was at your side. You couldn't breathe and were clawing at your throat, not because you were choking but as if something inside was trying to get out of you. He helped you get into a position where you were bending over, his hand hitting at your back in a way that would bruise later. Fortunately whatever it was came out through vomit, which pooled at the armchair now. A little worm-like creature gets choked out of your throat, making you cry in disgust and pain at the sight.
âW-What the fuck is that..?!â
Zeno quickly uses his foot to stomp it dead before it could do any more harm. You seemed to get better, the redness under your eyes a little dimmer. He soothes you by rubbing over your back as you let your tears loose.
âDid you find something..?â You ask between deep and shaky breaths.
After calming down you decide it's time to continue helping him. You get up, dodging his attempts to get you to sit back down.
âI just wanna get out of here. So helping you is gonna help us do that faster.â
Instead of arguing he continues to look for something alongside you. The whole place was near the brink of falling apart just like the rest of the estate. Every file you found called back to old experiments and projects. You even find something about Project W, which makes you freeze in place as you see blurry photos of Albert and other subjects. Your finger traces over his face, thinking of things that could've been.
From the corner of your eye you could see a small switch underneath the many files in the cabinet where you got the one you have in your hands. Out of curiosity you push it and a smaller section opens up at the side of the desk.
You take out a yellow folder, turning to Zeno to give it to him. The man first looks into your eyes before taking the papers to look at what it contained. After reading the first few sentences of the paper he grew weirdly quiet, worrying you a little.
He slowly holds the paper in front of you, making you read it with your own eyes. It was.. a birth certificate? No no.. an adoption certificate? The caretaker was listed as Spencer and on the other page it says the child was given away a few years after being adopted by Spencer. To a..
âAlyssa Ashcroft. Didn't think I'd hear that name again.â Zeno rubs at his chin, chuckling to himself.
âSomeone who needed to be eliminated.â
âShe knew too much for her own good. She saw too much of our work. One of my colleagues works regarding Elpis.â
You hum in thought, going over the pages once again. Why would Spencer, who was sick, old and hated by all, take in a child?
âShe has to be the key.â
Zeno nods before taking back the files to fold them and stow them in a pocket. You try to say something, but he quickly dismisses it and turns to walk to the window.
âLet's get out of here.â
âAlready? Are you sure that's what the key is?â
âHas to be. Spencer would never take in a child who wasn't a clone or bio weapon of some sorts.â
He rolls up his sleeve to reveal a watch, which he uses to take a call. He quickly gives away the address and tells them to pick both of you up.
âCome on.â In the blink of an eye he's behind you, raising you back up bridal style. Your arms go back around his neck. The blood soaked into his clothes around his abdomen, where a huge tear was from being impaled earlier, made you worried. It reminded you of Albert, when he came back from his work as the STARS captain and told you to pack everything and come with him.
âYou're the one who vomited up a worm. Are you okay?â
You huff, resting your head back on his shoulder as he carries you through the castle. In no time your eyes were heaving themselves into a deep slumber, your joints and muscles needing it more than anything.
You wake up on some sort of cot, the pain bearable for now. Your eyes make out Zeno's figure slumped over opposite of you. Judging by the noise and the interior, you were in a helicopter on the route back home.
The man's eyes snap open at his name, straightening up to look at you.
You were going to reach out for him, but something in your arm held you back. You look down to see an IV in your skin.
âYou were dehydrated.â
Your eyes locked with his again, the pure concern from his side was making your heart ache.
âAre we going home now?â The way you had to ask was already sad enough, but those puppy eyes made Zeno melt even more.
âWe're gonna bring you to a hospital first and then we'll see.â
âI am. You were the one to take the worst blow.â
The back and forth was useless so you just looked back up to the ceiling of the helicopter, another migraine making you frown.
âRest. It'll be a while till we arrive.â
You hum, in thought as you recount everything that had happened in your head. Not long after you were back asleep.
Whatever would happen now was gonna change your life forever. After this day you'd probably have to fully work for The Connections and Zeno, which you didn't mind. That was better than rotting away in your bed, mourning for a man long gone.
Finally you'd pay Albert everything back and make sure he didn't die in vain.
@halbravd @awesomesauce1313 @alexchase31 @themythicallifeofesmerelda @xxxxxxctu @un-trato-con-el-diablo @indiebat @joelsoftcurls @sardarasblog @unlikecharlie @lawfulrogue @veralovesanimeplusmanga @malumxsubest @maxipuff @leonkennedyswife69 @sdlmf @devillily29 @toorulee @awayaesworld @fandoms8 @nucifera-eve
origamiaround
2087
prguitarman
titsay
gummygunk
turnnoffyourmind
theartofmadeline
