[twenty-second bullet] private for Otacon
In the month that Otacon had been back from their world again, five years older and thirty years more jaded, Liquid had been wondering what had gone on during that time that had changed the engineer so much. He had gotten bits and pieces of the story, vague things that Hal had decided to tell him, but most of it remained a mystery. Most of it was something that Hal refused to tell him about.
Normally, he would have been all right with Otacon keeping some things from him. He understood that the engineer might not want to discuss absolutely everything that occurred with him-- that was not the issue. Hal was free to talk about or refrain from talking about whatever he chose; Liquid assumed that he would discuss anything important or relevant with him, if that were the case.
What bothered him was how Hal looked at him, sometimes. That look that he could tell-- even after five years-- meant that something wasn't right, but that Hal didn't want to talk about it... or didn't trust Liquid enough to hear it. It was something that had to involve him in some manner, but whatever it was, the engineer seemed to think that it was better to agonize about it in private rather than tell him what was upsetting him.
He really hated that about Hal.
Boundaries were fine. Things that Hal didn't want to talk about were generally fine. He could be patient, he could wait for the engineer to come around, like he had in the past. But he didn't think he could keep waiting while Hal looked at him like that, like looking at Liquid physically hurt him but he didn't want to show it, and hold his peace.
"Hal." He leaned against the wall in their room. "We need to talk."
Normally, he would have been all right with Otacon keeping some things from him. He understood that the engineer might not want to discuss absolutely everything that occurred with him-- that was not the issue. Hal was free to talk about or refrain from talking about whatever he chose; Liquid assumed that he would discuss anything important or relevant with him, if that were the case.
What bothered him was how Hal looked at him, sometimes. That look that he could tell-- even after five years-- meant that something wasn't right, but that Hal didn't want to talk about it... or didn't trust Liquid enough to hear it. It was something that had to involve him in some manner, but whatever it was, the engineer seemed to think that it was better to agonize about it in private rather than tell him what was upsetting him.
He really hated that about Hal.
Boundaries were fine. Things that Hal didn't want to talk about were generally fine. He could be patient, he could wait for the engineer to come around, like he had in the past. But he didn't think he could keep waiting while Hal looked at him like that, like looking at Liquid physically hurt him but he didn't want to show it, and hold his peace.
"Hal." He leaned against the wall in their room. "We need to talk."