route_1065 | //you could hide beside me maybe for a while

Entry tags:

//you could hide beside me maybe for a while

Who: Hal Emmerich (

philanthrotaku), Liquid 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"There was no one named Eva in any of the records."

Maybe the records were false, maybe Snake was. Either way, did it matter? What did it matter if he was of woman born? He shook his head as though to clear it.

"It doesn't matter. Even if we did have a mother, she wanted nothing to do with me. You can't love someone you've never met, brother-- don't try to feed me bullshit."

If she was really their mother, it didn't surprise him that she made herself known to Snake and not him.

"I don't need to break from the game. I need to beat them at it."

Had Big Boss come to him with the promise of Outer Heaven, Liquid would have helped him without hesitation. He would have brought the world to its knees for a place like that, somewhere where he would have finally really belonged.

"Indulge me, brother. What have you found that's so much more fulfilling than the bloodlust of the battlefield? What does the perfect soldier want to die for?"

"Liquid--there's more to life than fighting. I promise there is."

Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it. What was he supposed to do here?

"There's no reason to live like that. Not here or anywhere else."

He sighed.

There was nothing he could do. Liquid Snake was too far gone, and just talking to him was making Old Snake want to break his jaw. But that's what Liquid wanted, of course... Two brothers meant to fight to the death.

"I found a family. People that accepted me, even as an old killer. People that will wait for me when I return, with open arms."

He stared at Otacon, quite pointedly, his eyes saddened, "... And that's good enough for me. It's more than I deserve."

"...Snake, I..."

There was another verbal slap to the face. He wasn't sure how, but Otacon knew he'd screwed something up. Badly.

Liquid didn't know of any other way. He thought that whatever path he was on now, and to whatever end, it was the only one that he could walk. What did a weapon need or deserve of happiness or family? What could a weapon do but fight and kill as it was made to do?

Liquid had always been told that he was a weapon. And, worse, he believed it, too.

He had the impression, though, that things had suddenly become rather... awkward.

"Him? He's what you would die for?"

His voice was filled with incredulity.

"Yeah."

He looked at Otacon longer, then looked to Liquid, his expression remaining the same, "I would."

"..."

A long pause. Otacon's hands curled into fists at his side, and he looked up with newly discovered determination.

"I...I'd die for him too. Snake's the only family I have--that's why I can't let you fight him, Liquid."

"I never thought that the perfect soldier would go soft over his pet engineer."

Why was it that Otacon's attachment to Snake and his determination made Liquid hesitate in striking out at the other soldier? One punch, and the fight would start; his brother would defend himself if attacked, Liquid was sure of that.

"Nor that you'd leave your lover in the hands of your enemy."

"You don't know me as well as you think, Liquid. All you know is your hatred for me. But now you have to find something else to drive you... Something else to keep you going." Snake responded.

"You haven't hurt Otacon yet, and hell, I hate the fact he's traveling with you, but if you haven't hurt him yet, then fine. I can deal with that."

Otacon flushed bright red at Liquid's words, staring at the ground in shame.

"I was just...t-trying to help. I thought if I c-could keep an eye on him until you got here...a-and maybe I could stop you from hurting each other."

"At least my hatred keeps me strong. Your attachments make you weak, brother-- they're gaping holes in your defenses just waiting to be exploited."

And strength was what mattered. Strength always mattered, because Liquid had to be strong to be worthy, to not be inferior. He had to be strong and hard and unyielding as steel.

"The only reason I kept him with me is because I knew you would come to him."

And the only reason Otacon had stayed with him was because he wanted to protect Snake. And here Liquid had almost started to believe all of that friends bullshit.

"So what are you going to do with him now?" Snake responded, fully aware that he was just feeding ~~the troll~~ Liquid, but he wanted to know.

"..."

The possible answers to that question terrified him.

"Liquid...all this time with you and Heather, I-I really enjoyed myself. I kn-know it started out that I was keeping an eye on you for Snake, but I...I consider you my friend. Don't tell me you were just using me this whole time."

"Do with him? He's not mine to do anything with, brother."

Liquid didn't harm civilians, even if they were particularly annoying ones, unless he had a damn good reason for it. There was no reason to even keep Otacon around anymore now that he knew where Snake was, and, even though he felt anger towards him for this whole damn stupid thing-- of course he was only around him to keep an eye on him for Snake-- he wouldn't raise a hand to him. Even if he might have wanted to.

Never be used again. He'd been someone's tool too many times.

His voice was cold when he replied.

"What did you expect?"

Snake watched the two, then frowned. Well, he might have just caused something he didn't want to be involved in, so he sighed, shaking his head, before turning and walking away again. Otacon was friends with a man that whined more than a child... Though Old Snake was no saint either.

Part of him wished he could just make up with Liquid, but... He hurt Meryl, he killed Master Miller.

His insurrection was driving the world mad.

And yet this Liquid was supposedly unaware of all of that.

Snake knew he was just going to punch someone by this point... So he headed off, needing to train his Pokemon.

"L...Liquid, I..."

Otacon thought--hoped, maybe--that Liquid could have been his friend. Was he really being used the whole time?

This wasn't happening. He had just wanted to help--did he really chase off the first and closest friend he ever had?

"Snake...please,don't..."

This Liquid had never met Master Miller and didn't even know who Meryl Silverburgh was or why he'd want to harm her. This was the first time he'd even met Snake; he'd been expecting someone young, like himself, and ready to fight. Not an old soldier who had tired of killing.

He was angry and he wanted to fight, but not while Otacon was here to do something stupid like stop them.

"Another time, brother. When you aren't so weak as to be swayed by your pet engineer."

He turned to leave as well, already planning how quickly he could be out of the city.

Dammit, dammit, dammit! What was Otacon supposed to do, who was he supposed to follow?! His hands went to his head--no, he couldn't block this out, he couldn't. Otacon had to make a choice...

...it had to be Liquid. Someone needed to keep him in check, and Otacon had done we enough so far. Taking a deep breath, he looked from Asimov to Kotai; the sheep tugged on his hakama as if to pull him along, and the cobra at his side gave him a reassuring squeeze around the waist.

"...right. Let's go."

Recalling them both, he followed after Liquid.

Liquid felt the need to hit something.

He turned sharply and put his fist into the nearest wall, leaving a hole behind in the brick when he pulled his hand back out.

"Tch--!"

He kept going, moving with sharp, angry snaps of his limbs, blood dripping from his split knuckles.

Otacon followed a few cautious steps behind, looking worried.

"L...Liquid..."

"Don't follow me, Otacon."

He'd been stupid enough lately, letting someone hang around and get close to him. All it did was open him up to being used, and that was what he deserved for being so foolish as to think that someone would want to be around him for any other reason.

"...I want to."

Snake probably hates me, so what choice do I have?

"I don't."

Weak. This whole damn place was making him go soft-- he had to distance himself from that which was making it happen. He couldn't allow himself to be any more flawed than he already was.

"Go back to your precious Solid Snake."

"...no. I-I...you're my friend."

"I don't have friends, Otacon, and I don't want them!"

He didn't deserve them, either, and he knew it. He didn't deserve to have anyone who cared for him, and if he told himself enough that he didn't want that anyway, then maybe it would be true.

"Go back to your lover. He at least wants you."

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