Busy busy busy

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

[An Otacon is sat in the Philanthropy offices. He's not consumed by the computer for once. Instead, he has various sheets of paper surrounding him, all fanned out and ready to be used as a keen source of information. The fact that him and legendarysolid have been led to believe that Big Boss was planning something provoked an eager wish to find out more, to see if their hunch was true.]

[In the dark vicinity of the room, Otacon mutters to himself, his cup of coffee going untouched and cooling by the second.]

So far, the blueprints seem to be making up a vehicle of sorts. I'd be concerned about a Metal Gear in process, but it looks too focused on a cockpit rather than a robot built on such a large scale.

[He pencils something on the blueprints.] I guess he could be misleading us on purpose but why would he do that so far in advance? _{More of a replica of a tank than anything else... Or maybe a helicopter without the propellas.}

[He huffed out a sigh, removing his glasses. His eyes were starting to hurt from the intensity of his work pace. Anyone that knew Otacon would understand his dedication to his work. It would take a lot to persuade him to stop, but you can try.]

Comments

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake chuckles] I'm your food tester, huh?

[Not that he minds. Otacon can steal all his food if he wants. Snake is just so classy he picks at with his fingers.] Need a refill on your coffee?

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

Nono, you eat up. I'll make the coffee.

[He smiles, tasting a bit of it.] _{Kind of chickeny.}

[Otacon moves to the kettle and fills it up with some fresh water. He grabs a couple of cups, making the assumption that Snake would want coffee too.]

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake laughs at that. He very classily eats with his fingers.] Yeah. Go figure.

[After a minute, Snake apparently finishes all that he wanted. He's still getting used to the idea there is an Otacon from the same time period.] You remember to sleep too?

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

[Otacon decides that he very much enjoys it when Snake laughs, and has set it in his mind as a goal to make him laugh as much as he can in the future.]

[He waits for the kettle to boil, glancing down at their cups. A guilty look crossed his features, followed by an honest answer.] Sometimes.

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake sits back in a chair then regards Otacon for a minute. He tilted his head with a thought.] Something other than work keeping you up?

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

Huh? [He tilts his head, looking over at Snake obscurely.]

You know what I'm like. My mind likes to work overtime. Even if I spend hours away from the computer, it'll still take a while for me to slow my mind back down.

I've always had this problem. Ever since I left home.

[He toyed with the mugs for a while.]

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

I know that part, Otacon.

[Snake sighed, he guesses he'll just take the direct approach.] Also know your step mom is here.

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

[Otacon's blood runs cold at the mention of Julie. He hunches his shoulders defensively, staring over his shoulder at Snake with wide eyes.]

_{How do you know about her?}

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake pushes himself to his feet to put a hand on his shoulder.] Been here a long time, Hal.

Just... [Snake grumbles internally, he so sucks at this.] be careful.

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

So you... you know?

[A look of horror strickens his face. He didn't want Dave to find out that way.]

[The shame of his actions floods to his face, tinging his cheeks and ears red. He hangs his head, even as the kettle finishes boiling.] _{Oh god. You must think I'm a monster.}

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake doesn't say one way or another. He knows some, but not all of the details. Frankly, he doesn't want all the details.]

[He lets out a sigh, reaches pass him to move the kettle. Once he's done with that he moves his other arm and brings him into a hug.] You're not a monster, Hal.

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

[Initially, Otacon tenses with the hug. His eyes widen a bit, not used to the contact. He inhales sharply, and then swallows thick.]

[He leans into Snake's embrace and hid his face in his friend's shoulder.] _{But it's my fault everything went wrong.}

eee icon

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake lets out heavy sigh. He was never good with guilty Otacons.] I doubt that. [He patted him reassuringly on his back.] Doesn't matter now, more important things to do. Can't live in the past.

♥♥♥

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

[It took him a while to compose himself again, but he returned to a relatively normal state after a few minutes.]

[He pulled his head back, looking at Snake.] It's a little easier said than done. I mean... with Big Boss, surely you remember everything in your past. It's the same with Julie.

When I see her, or E.E, all the memories come flooding back. I can't push them out.

♥♥♥

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake doesn't look entirely sure about that but he nods.]

Not saying you should. Just don't dwell.

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

I'll try not to...

[Otacon sighed a bit, rubbing his face with his hand idly.]

[He looked down at the kettle, and then began to pour it out between both cups.]

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake took a step back to give him his space. He reminds himself again to not get too close.]

Just take care of yourself.

[He moves to sit back down.] So. How's your end of the searching going?

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

Not too badly! It's getting there... slowly. I've got to track what computers were being used and how they connect to Big Boss.

That might take a while.

[Otacon takes hold of their cups and joins Snake at the table. He pushes one towards his friend and settles down next to him.] What about you? Did you find anything else?

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake nodded, satisfied with that answer, for now anyway.]

[Snake clasps his hands in front of himself] Few of the old labs, Metal Gear parts in them have been cleared out. Parts are gone.

[He looked down into the coffee cup] I don't like this.

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

[Otacon winces.]

Oh man... This is bad. Why would he want to BUILD a new one? There's no need!

[It's as though he's trying to reason with him, despite Snake not being the one on trial right now.]

It doesn't make any sense...

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake shakes his head.] Don't know. Not sure I wanna know. But we'll stop it.

[He gave Hal an apprising look, checking for bags under his eyes. He may have to force sleep on him before they do that though.]

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

Of course we will. That's the reason Philanthropy exists, right?

[Otacon drunk back his coffee and pushed aside his empty mug, lapping his lips.]

[He fell silent when he felt the pair of eyes on him.]

...

You know, Julie mentioned something earlier. When she came to see me.

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake cracked a smile.] That's right.

[Snake took a sip of his coffee then tilted his head.]

What's that?

[hikikomorihal.livejournal.com]

She said that... er...

[He looked embarassed, and a little confused.] You and Liquid are my boyfriends.

Not me me, but other me's. She thought I was one of them.

Are you... um... with another me?

[He hesitated.] I mean, I can sort of understand you, but Liquid??? The thought of seeing him makes me queasy, let alone dating him.

[legendarysolid.livejournal.com]

[Snake sighs and leans back in his chair.]

[He frowns and thought.] I haven't-- With you. Any of you... in a very long time, H--Otacon. Whenever I get close to--[he clears his throat]--any version of you, you... disappear or worse. [Snake frowns further,] Had a thing with one of you, long way back... he left me for Liquid.

[That part actually has happened more than once but he doesn't need to tell him 'oh btw, Liquid keeps stealing versions you' And he'll just leave out his own stuff with Liquid for now.]