fissionmailed | Astral Projection event (day 8)

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Astral Projection event (day 8)

[Those who had been "affected" finally detect a change. It's a sensation of being pulled. Wherever they are, no matter how far from it, they suddenly find themselves forcefully yanked back into their bodies, and the connection is reestablished at long last. All the people that fell a week ago are waking up...]

((Event end! The "affected" are now back in their bodies. ...But if something happened to the body during the week, they have to deal with it. There's no magic healing.))

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[Darkness.

There's no air, nothing but the pressure of earth on him. He can't breath. What's going on? It takes him a moment to realise. He's alive. He's alive, but how- and why? But there's no time for that, and he's just relieved that Ocelot didn't put him in a goddamn coffin and nail it down or else he'd be in big trouble. He sneezes, a quiet warning before he begins to struggle.

By the time his fingers break through the dirt, his gloves are torn and he's struggling with the effort. But there's air and light, even if it's just a little. It's enough to make him struggle harder.]

[Ocelot is on some other floor, prowling the halls like yesterday.]

[Ocelot better hope his goddamn ass isn't too far. Because it takes Liquid all of his willpower to fight his way out, and by the end he's drained far more than usual; emotionally more than physically. It's been hell and he allows himself only a moment's respite before he struggles to his feet and fumbles for his phone.]

[CALL]
PUSH SELECT

Pick up...

[Ocelot picks up his radio, and when he sees the frequency calling, he frowns.]

[He was sure he left Liquid's phone on his body. So either someone robbed his grave, or copied the frequency. Either possibility brings venom to his voice when he answers.]

Whatever game you're playing, I don't care for it. You'd better explain yourself.

Adam... I am going to goddamn kill you if you don't get here right this instant!

[Liquid slumps against the wall, his words coming out a little more desperate than he likes.]

I'm where you left me.

[Ocelot's not sure what to think. All he knows is he has to see for himself to believe it. So he hurries to the room, unable to trust himself to respond any further on the radio while he's so uncertain.]

[He shoves the doors open and hurries to the spot where he buried Liquid.]

[Torn open from beneath, the grave lies open. And from the side, wordlessly, filthy and uncaring, Liquid Snake strides forward and draws him into a tight embrace.]

[Ocelot stiffens in shock, too surprised to understand the dirty figure clutching him tight.]

This isn't--...

[Uncertain hands reach up to Liquid's back.]

[His arms tighten around Ocelot's back.]

I was watching you. But you couldn't hear me. Goddammit... I don't know what happened.

No, no, you were dead, you weren't there, you moved on... you didn't come back... [His body shudders in Liquid's hold, and he suddenly tightened his own grip, fingers pressing against grimy skin.]

I wasn't dead.

[His voice shakes, a clear sign of how much he's been shaken up.]

Even the ghosts couldn't see us - Brother was with me, the one missing an arm - nothing could see us.

I stayed with you. I couldn't do anything. And then it just... changed. It was like something forced me back into my body.

[His buried body.]

Edited 2011-04-23 19:36 (UTC)

But you were sick...

[Ocelot leans his body into Liquid, barely holding himself up anymore.]

[He doesn't understand it, but he knows it's his Liquid.]

[Liquid cradles him against his own body, shaking a little.]

That wasn't enough to kill me. And others were effected who weren't sick. I met them. Not many, but they were there.

[God, it felt good to be able to feel again. He wasn't dreaming, was he?]

It's alright. I'm here now.

[Ocelot isn't sure if it's real either... the nexus had fucked with them already. He has the sense that Liquid might be ripped from his grasp again at any second, so he squeezes tighter... but he can't look at Liquid that way, so he finally pushes back enough that he can keep his hands on him but be able to look him over.]

...Don't you do that again, Liquid...

[He stretches a hand up, stroking clumps of dirt from his hair.]

[Liquid holds onto Ocelot tightly, relieved at last to have the man in his arms again. He's pale, although more from shock than anything else.]

I won't ever let that happen again...

[Ugh. Dirt. But he'll put up with it. He's got bigger issues to deal with.]

I hope you didn't have anything planned. I'm not letting go of you for a while.

Idiot... I'm supposed to say that.

[He sighed, feeling as if a crushing weight was dissolving from his chest. He snuggled against him despite the dirt.]

You should get cleaned up though. I guess I should have left you out to rot longer...

[Liquid burst out laughing. It's hoarse and rare, but he held Ocelot close as he shook with laughter.]

After a week, I'm surprised I wasn't rotting already. Corpses don't usually take that long to degrade. But I seem to be all here.

...c'mon. Let's go home, Adam.

I need to get clean now too. [Despite voicing protest, he nuzzled Liquid and made no move to back away.]

Shit... it's only been a week?

After three days, I...

[Ocelot trailed off, leaning quietly on Liquid.]

[Liquid wrapped his arms around Ocelot's waist, lifting him easily.]

Only? It felt like a lifetime.

[He doesn't want to admit how certain he was that the other Liquid was right, that there was no way back. Or how determined he was to simply keep following Ocelot.]

[Ocelot quietly clung to him a moment longer, then wriggled free, though he kept a hand on his arm.]

...Let's not get the apartment dirty. [He lightly tugged on his wrist, away from the room's door.]

There's a river in this room. You can rinse off, at least.

[Liquid allowed him to tug him towards the river, feeling amused and grateful. Grateful to the Nexus at large, for allowing him back, even in such a horrifying way. His nightmares are going to be plentiful for a while. He kicked off his shoes, tapping them together to get the dirt off, before ignoring Ocelot's words about rinsing off and simply stepping into the water, trousers and all. He disappears beneath for just a moment before returning to the surface and smiling at Ocelot.]

You can rinse off. This is the first thing other than Brother and you that I've had physical contact with in seven days.

[Sensory deprivation wasn't exactly a happy thing.]

[Ocelot watched him from the shore with a focused stare. He paced along the wet rocks and tried not to be unreasonably nervous when Liquid disappeared from sight below the surface.]

...Hm. Liquid takes to water, who knew?

[He waited, watching water cascade over Liquid's firm tanned skin. Then, when Liquid's attention was off of him, he grinned, and spontaneously jumped at him, throwing his arms over his shoulders and dunking him while he splashed into the cold water.]

Edited 2011-04-24 19:15 (UTC)

-Gah!

[He fell backwards slightly, splashing into the water as Ocelot lunged at him. Then without warning he found himself forced underwater. With a startled cry that was silenced by the water, he reflexively wrapped his arms around Ocelot's waist and used his strength to shove him back and dunk him in turn for just a moment. Rising to the surface, he burst out laughing.]

I'm more a desert snake than a water snake, but I do like the water.

[Ocelot thrashed under the cold water, splashing Liquid more. As soon as he could come up, he threw his arms around Liquid, his hands pressing against the sides of his face, smoothing wet hair back to press their lips together, passionate and rushed for lack of breath.]

[Liquid's arms found Ocelot, drew him closer as he kissed him back almost feverishly. It felt good, to have him back in his arms. He needed it. It didn't matter that both of them were soaked or that there was still some dirt caught in his hair. All that mattered was that Ocelot was there.]

Astral Projection event (day 8)

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