Chilly mist floated around the garden, obscuring everything behind a transparent wall of cold white-gray. At such an early hour, nobody was outside except for a lone observer - a young man who stood by the trees. He stared into a distance that he couldn't see, away from the mansion. The forest that surrounded Arklay Mansion was silent as well, although William Birkin couldn't actually see the forest.

He didn't really care about visibility. His eyes were open but his mind was elsewhere, going through facts and calculations that were beyond the understanding of a normal human being. Of course, William didn't consider himself 'normal' nor did anyone else. He smirked, knowing that despite his age of 17, he was smarter than anyone else working in the Arklay Labs.

The mist muted all sound that might have arisen. That meant he didn't hear footsteps; he didn't notice anyone coming before someone stopped behind him, quietly wrapping arms around the young man.

William Birkin's sky-blue eyes showed neither panic nor surprise. He only lowered his face a little, shifting his position and resting back, allowing the other person to hold him. He traced his fingers over the other man's hand, which was stronger than his own. Birkin found himself annoyed by that fact, but there wasn't really anything he could do about it.

A pity, anyway, he thought. There are so many things I could do to you, Albert...

"...I don't like it when you leave the bed like that," murmured a soft voice next to his ear. "At least wake me up before you sneak out."

Birkin smirked. "I'm sorry, Albert. But you know me... I don't remember such things. When I need to think, I just leave. I don't unfortunately pay attention to whose bed I'm sleeping in... Besides, it would be a pity to wake you up. You look lovely when asleep..."

"Spare me from the musings, William. The sun's barely up. This is where you choose to think?"

"Where else?" The younger man turned around, stopping to stare at his friend's handsome face. His eyes studied the sight before him, and he made an amused mental note that the older man was wearing his trademark sunglasses even though it was still mostly dark. "But then again, I suppose this place is as good as any. I can think in the laboratory just as well... I don't need the place to be silent. I don't need to be alone. I just felt like coming here this morning... I noticed the mist when glancing outside of the window. Fascinating..."

Wesker raised an eyebrow. "You're being strange. But I guess it is fascinating. Cold, anyway. Reminds me of you sometimes..."

"Huh. I'm cold?"

"I said sometimes," Wesker answered, adjusting his sunglasses. "Besides, I didn't say you're cold. I said this mist reminds me of you."

Birkin pretended to look annoyed even though he knew Wesker could see through it. The older man was bright; not as intelligent as William himself was, but highly intelligent anyway - and his most preferred companion. They were best friends and lovers, after all. "Fine, Albert... How so? What reminds you of me here?"

"This icy veil..." Wesker stared into the hazy forest behind the garden. He could barely see where the rows of trees started. "Takes you into its embrace without giving you a chance to escape. Mysterious and unpredictable... ...And," he added with a calm smirk on his face. "When the morning comes, it'll be gone and you'll be left to wake up alone."

"Hah. Sarcasm, perhaps?"

"Not at all, William."

The younger man didn't answer but just stared at his partner with curiosity. He then raised his left hand and stole the older blond's sunglasses, slipping them into the pocket of his lab coat. He grinned slightly as Wesker's gray-blue eyes stared into his, slightly annoyed. "You win, Albert. But... I find it fascinating anyway. Besides... it reminds me of you..."

A hint of a smile touched Wesker's lips. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Birkin answered, grinning more widely. "Just look around, Albert... It's beautiful. Appearing so cold, yet, when you walk into it, it wraps itself around you, taking you into itself..."

Wesker laughed. "Is it just me, William Birkin, or are you making perverted comparisons?"

"What if I am?"

"Then I must say that whatever you were thinking of, I must've interrupted it. Badly." The older man leaned a little closer to his friend, reaching out and lifting Birkin's chin with his fingers. William's bright eyes captivated him, and he smiled. "And perhaps I drew your thoughts back to something... more pleasant."

The younger scientist merely tilted his head, his sky-blue eyes staring back into Wesker's. He stood still for a long while, just looking at his partner and feeling how the mist around them slowly dissolved as the sun crept higher on the sky, starting to warm the area where the mansion lay in the middle of the Arklay Mountain range. The remaining thin clouds of fog drifted silently in the air, fighting a losing battle.

"I'll give you that, Albert," Birkin said quietly. "You do have that effect on me at times. Like I have on you..."

Wesker was about to answer but was suddenly pulled closer. The younger man wrapped his arms around his neck, then pulled the older blond's head a little lower and captured his lips for a gentle, long kiss.

As they parted, the older man sighed, smiling slightly. "All the time, William."

"I know," Birkin answered, picking the sunglasses from his pocket and gently placing them over his lover's eyes. "That's what I like about you, Albert. You're mine. See you in the lab..."

Albert Wesker shook his head but smiled as he watched the younger man turn and walk away, heading back to the mansion.

Author's notes:

Silly little thing. Dedicated to Romy, since I suck and didn't write anything for her b-day. <3

- Lady Harken (May, 2004)