//you could hide beside me maybe for a while

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

Who: Hal Emmerich (philanthrotaku), Liquid Snake (boldandresolute), Solid Snake (imthe_shit)
Where: Outside Sprout Tower
When: Early afternoon
Summary: IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOOOOOWN
Rating: ...yeah, let's go with T on this one because Liquid has a dirty mouth :|a
Log:

There was a pile of Pokemon and trainer under a tree very near Sprout Tower. Otacon hadn't been sleeping much, with the stress of an imminent fight weighing heavy on his shoulders. At this particular moment, however, the engineer was fast asleep using his napping Arbok's thick coils as a particularly comfortable cushion. On top of Otacon was Asimov, little pink sheep on its stomach with his back foot twitching every now and then. He may also have been chewing on the sleeve of Otacon's kimono, but that was beside the point.

The point was that for a single moment, despite circumstances and weather, everything was tranquil and calm. The inevitable confrontation was a million miles away, and life in Johto really wasn't half bad at all.

But when you associated with the two most dangerous soldiers in the world, 'calm' was all relative.

Comments

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

Kotai scowled the best that a snake could, poking Otacon in the shoulder with the tip of her tail.

"Hm...?" He yawned, stretching as Asimov did the same.

"Oh, hi Liquid."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Otacon."

He warily eyed the snake before taking a few steps closer. Presumably, Otacon wouldn't allow his Pokemon to maul anyone they pleased.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

Asimov sleepily stumbled off Otacon, somersaulting to the ground as he slipped off Kotai's coils and yawned. The little sleep liked Liquid, and would just be walking over for some attention thank you very much.

"Didn't even realize I was that tired." Otacon remarked, standing up and petting the overly protective cobra.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

Liquid didn't mind the little pink sheep, either. He had one of his own, after all, and she was rather... cuddly. He pet the woolly Asimov while trying to look like there was nothing unusual about a supersoldier petting a sheep.

"It's the heat. It saps your strength if you aren't used to it."

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

Asimov would just get nice and comfortable sitting on Liquid's foot, then.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm a little more used to winter, myself." He stroked a hand lightly along Kotai's head, looking thoughtful.

"...Liquid?"

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

Asimov had a thing about feet, didn't he.

"What is it?"

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

He was just kind of an attention whore.

"...I...don't want you to get hurt."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

Maybe that was why they got along so well.

"By what?"

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"A-anything. I mean...if things weren't quite as simple as they looked--" Which wasn't very simple at all, really. "--I wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

He paused, trying to think of how to phrase this next bit.

"...you're...my friend, strange as it might be."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"I'll be fine, Otacon. I won't get into anything I can't handle."

It was that next bit that gave Liquid a few problems, as well. He'd never had anyone say something like that to him before; he'd never had friends. He wasn't sure how to respond. What were friends but weaknesses, anyway?

"Tch. Whatever."

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"Liquid, I'm serious. I...I want you to be careful."

It felt wrong somehow, not letting him know that Snake was here. But hadn't Otacon chosen his side a long time ago?

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"..."

Something was strange about this conversation.

"Is there some reason that I should be careful, Otacon?"

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"N-no."

Of course not.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

Liquid wasn't convinced.

"What aren't you telling me?"

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"Nothing."

There were in fact several things he wasn't telling Liquid.

"I just...you and Heather, we're all friends. I don't want to lose anyone else."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"You obviously think that there's something near that could possibly be a threat to--"

What was the only person who could be a threat to Liquid?

Light dawns on Marblehead. If Otacon hadn't said anything, the soldier would never have suspected a thing.

"He's here, isn't he."

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

...

Shit.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

Liquid's tone became low and dangerous.

"Where is my brother."

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

"Back home, probably."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"If he was back home, then you wouldn't be so concerned."

He was here. Somewhere in this city, his brother was waiting for him.

Liquid turned sharply, meaning to go and find him.

what nerdfail? you saw no nerdfail.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"...stop."

He reached out and grabbed Liquid's wrist, Kotai hissing at his side.

I saw nothing x]

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"If my brother is here, I will find him."

He pulled his wrist from Otacon's grasp.

"I will not allow you to stop me."

<3

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"Listen to me, please."

He scrambled in front of Liquid, trying to stop him from advancing.

"You don't know--there's this virus Snake has called FOXDIE, i-i-it'll kill you for certain, you can't win this!"

The engineer's tone was pleading, almost desperate as he stammered uncontrollably.

"Please, Liquid. Don't...he's not even from your time or mine! Fighting him wouldn't have a point--we can just go to the next town together. You can live for yourself and not some vendetta!" It would hurt, of course, to distance himself from his best friend. it was hurting right now.

But Otacon couldn't deny he liked spending time with Liquid no matter how surreal it was. Having someone else he was attached to die in front of him...no. Not again. He couldn't take it.

Before he knew what he was doing, Otacon's arms were wrapped tightly around Liquid's shoulders.

"I don't want to lose either of you. Please...I'm begging you not to do this."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"And how is that anything to live for?"

All he had was his vendetta. All he had was the fight, and if he gave that up, then there was no point to his life, to his existence. All he could do was rage against those who made him inferior; against his father and his brother and the fat men in suits who had him made.

"I don't care about your virus. I will hound my brother until my dying breath."

The engineers arms around his shoulders made him tense; he wasn't used to being touched, especially not without invitation.

"Let go of me, Otacon."

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

"...I won't." he replied softly, shaking. Otacon was tired, so damned tired of losing everything. He couldn't lose Snake or Liquid now.

"I don't want you to die."