//itsu no ma ni ka bokura nanigenaku deatta

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

Who: Hal Emmerich, Liquid Snake
Where: Azalea Town
When: Midday, October 10th
Summary: Hello, I am a crack pairing between two socially awkward people.
Rating: idfk, T or something
Log:
What had he been thinking? What had possessed him to offer to find a restaurant with Liquid? Sure, his cooking was a nightmare (and Otacon planned to bring back something nice for Heather to make up for it), but this was Liquid.

...as he got ready to leave, he idly wondered if Snake was alright wherever he was. Otacon was worried sick, though he hid it the best he could. His first and closest friend was in pain, possibly even dying and there wasn't a damn thing Otacon could do. To say it upset him was an understatement.

But this wasn't the time for that. He'd promised some food that was actually edible, and that's what he'd get them. If there was nothing he could do to help Snake...then he'd just wait and worry in silence.

"Ready, Liquid?" he asked with a smile, recalling the angrily hissing Kotai and slipping her Pokeball into the sleeve of his kimono--what her problem was with him, Otacon wasn't entirely sure.

Comments

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"..."

This silence was almost painful in how awkward it was. He had to say something, didn't he?

"...If you don't want me around...you could just say so. Don't just try to insinuate I'm not here because I chose to be."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"If I didn't want you here, I would've already said so."

Wanting him around was what was giving him problems.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"...I kind of figured that somehow." he remarked with a slight smile.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"Tch. Then why did you say such a stupid thing if you already knew that?"

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"Just making sure."

Otacon didn't speak for a few minutes after that, face flushed slightly from the alcohol he'd been drinking. As always, he was a lightweight to almost impossible levels.

"...y'know, you're kind of fun to hang around with."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

For some reason, having Otacon say that he was fun to be around was... pleasing, somehow.

"...hn. You're mad, Hal."

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"I've been called worse."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"You're a very special kind of mad."

The kind that was only mostly harmless. Mostly.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"If I'm crazy, I don't mind it too much. I get by, at least."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"Not without tripping over something."

He didn't go by anything, it seemed, without tripping over it.

Liquid was idly picking at the onigiri and sipping alcohol, just waiting for Otacon to finish whatever he wanted. He's certainly not blushing, and even if he was, it wouldn't be because of the sake or because of the engineer. Really.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"Well...isn't easy, y'know. Traveling outside and all that kinda stuff."

Whoops, one too many glasses of sake.

"I'll get used to it."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

For Otacon, 'too many glasses of sake' was a number somewhere between zero and one.

"Walking usually isn't very hard."

He'll just be edging the engineer's glass away from him. They didn't need another hangover fiasco like before.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

That it was indeed.

"...Ready to get the check and get out of here? M'gonna need to get a job again, keeping everythin' stocked is kinda leaving me flat broke."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"I'll pick up the check this time. I owe you for all the groceries, anyway."

He beckoned for the waitress to come and bring the check.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"Whatever you say." Leaning his head on his hand, Otacon smiled a little dazedly.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

He paid and left a tip, then stood and reached down to help Otacon up out of his chair-- he looked like he might need a little assistance in balancing.

"All right, come on."

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"Okay."

With a bright smile, he took Liquid's hand tightly in his and stood up.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

It felt strange to hold Otacon's hand in his; he shifted his grip once the engineer was standing so that he held onto his forearm instead, and started to lead him out of the restaurant.

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

He stumbled a bit every few steps--why was the ground tilting?

"...This was fun. maybe we should do it again."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

That was all right-- Liquid was there to catch him.

"You just like to see me break my chopsticks."

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"That too." he replied with a laugh, hardly noticing he was falling all over the place.

"It was...y'know, cute."

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

Liquid caught him all over the place; he was in good hands. And he had a cute laugh.

"I'm not cute, you're delusional."

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"M'not delusional. You said I was crazy. Make up your mind, huh?"

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

"Who says that you can't be both?"

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

"But m'not delusional. At least, I don't think I am."