//what purpose am i to fulfill

[liquidouroboros]

[There was no reason for him to be so attracted to that one certain door--it just seemed irresistible. As if he would never be able to get by without knowing what was past it. Despite realizing the ones that seemed the best would inevitably just be luring in victims, the uniformed soldier stepped closer. His hand rested on the doorknob for a moment

Comments

[ragnarok_snake]

[No matter how long ago it was, there was one event that stayed with this Liquid. He still had the occasional nightmare reminding him of that day, so badly had it shaken him.]

[Liquid was trapped--bad enough on its own, but he was trapped by Snake of all people. Restrained to Ocelot's damned table in the Shadow Moses room...at his brother's nonexistent mercy.]

You can't just--!

[The electricity coursed through his body again and interrupted his near-desperate protest, the knife in his shoulder heating up and multiplying the pain by god only knew how much--all Liquid knew was that he wanted it to stop, wished he wasn't screaming in agony like a coward.]

'I can keep you here forever if I want. Since nobody ages, you'll just stay there. For the rest of eternity. Never dying. Just for my entertainment.'

[It simultaneously terrified and enraged Liquid--how dare he make me actually fear him--but there was nothing he could do. Of course one or two people would know he was gone, but they'd just as likely chalk it up to him having gone back to Shadow Moses.]

'Maybe I'll even call Talib and ask him to drop in. He can teach me how to do this better.'

[If there was ever a moment when it could be said Liquid Snake wanted to die, it was then. He was helpless and alone all over again--his brother wouldn't stop, and the two of them together...Liquid was terrified, knew he was going to break, and he hated himself for all of it.]

[When the illusion dispersed, Liquid fell to his knees in a cold sweat, gasping for breath--the agonizing pain he'd felt was receding like it always did when he woke from that particular dream.]

[...god, I'm pathetic. What kind of soldier felt that much fear and panicked so badly under torture? Only an inferior failure, of course.]

[somnium_paterna]

[And guess who's watching you from the shadows behind you, Liquid? See, that's the thing with being Solid Snake. You could creep. Sneak up behind anyone, silent, swift. It could be over in a moment - if he wanted it to be.]

Good to know I had that much of an effect on you.

[ragnarok_snake]

--!

[Liquid straightened up in one quick motion, drawing his Beretta as he stood--he wasn't like the more normal Snakes, who would stand there with their gun drawn and watch an enemy monologue like a damned James Bond villain. If Liquid saw someone he didn't like, you're damn right he'd be unloading on them.]

[Which he immediately did upon hearing his brother's voice, firing at him three times.]

[somnium_paterna]

[How typical. Ordinary. Liquid was so very rash. Snake kept his arms in position, protecting his vitals. The piercing agony seared through the ice cold of his mind. It stirred something familiar in him.]

Nice aim.

[He reached for the SOCOM with a trembling hand- two bullets had embedded in his arm, weakening his aim.]

Now lower your weapon and we both walk out of this alive.

[ragnarok_snake]

[Liquid's aim was steady, but there was a spark of something decidedly not sane in his eyes as he kept the handgun focused on Snake.]

I'd rather only I walk away from this, brother.

[stutteringotaku]

[What was that behind you, Snake?]

[If you guessed anything but 'nerd with a laptop', you're wrong.]

[This would be a white-faced, scared-as-shit Otacon beaning you across the back of the head with his laptop.]

[THE SACRIFICES HE MAKES FOR YOU, LIQUID.]

[ragnarok_snake]

Wh...Otacon?!

[That was pretty much the last thing Liquid expected.]

[somnium_paterna]

[Unfortunately for Otacon, the blow only stunned Snake momentarily. He stumbled, whirled- and stared at the nerd. The glare on his face was the only warning before he grabbed his wrists in one hand, squeezing them painfully together and tugged him forward. Twisting his arms behind him, he pressed the SOCOM to Otacon's chin.]

Huh. That was braver than I expected from a mouse like you, Hal.

[His words are almost conversational, layered with bitter ice.]

Not easy, is it? You need to bring it down with more force. Don't be afraid of hurting the laptop. Tools can be replaced.

[A faint, rare smile.]

Can you?

[stutteringotaku]

[The laptop dropped from Otacon's hands when Snake squeezed his wrists together-- not that it wasn't already ruined from being smacked across the soldier's head.]

--!

[He froze when his arms went behind his back and there was the cold barrel of a gun against his skin.]

S-Snake--

[This was what he got for trying to be brave. After all, how could someone as pathetic as Hal Emmerich ever hope to stop Snake?]

[ragnarok_snake]

[The only thing stopping Liquid from firing into his brother's head was the thought that he might still manage to pull the trigger.]

Let go of him, Snake. I didn't think you'd fallen so far as to kill reckless, stupid civilians.

[Was Liquid actually fearing for someone else's life right now? That was honestly surreal.]

Lower your weapon and we'll all go our separate ways. Just as you suggested, correct?

[somnium_paterna]

Hnh... You were so insistent we did otherwise, Liquid. Can it be? You've developed that weakness for him.

[Great, they have even more in common.]

Trigger reflex. You shoot, he dies. Now walk out of here. On your own. And maybe he'll get out alive.

[stutteringotaku]

[Oh God, what kind of mess did he get himself into?]

I-it'll be okay, Liquid. You c-can go, I'll be fine.

[He really didn't think so-- Snake was probably going to shoot him if Liquid left-- but it was better than a shootout between the two soldiers.]

[ragnarok_snake]

...I'm not leaving without him, brother.

[Slowly--what the hell am I doing--he holstered his pistol.]

We both know I'm the one you're after, so leave him out of it. If you shoot him, there will be nothing stopping me from tearing you apart here and every single time you resurrect.

I'm giving you the opportunity to let him go and leave. I suggest you take it.

[somnium_paterna]

And the minute I let him go, that gun will be back in your hand. I could always have punished him for that attack. Hard to type without fingers, after all.

[The words tasted wrong in his mouth.]

Walk away, and I won't lay a finger on him unless you turn back.

[stutteringotaku]

L-Liquid...

[The idea of losing fingers made his blood run cold-- if he couldn't type, then he really wouldn't be useful to anyone, would he? Not even James.]

P-please, j-just go. I don't w-want anyone to get hurt.

[ragnarok_snake]

Shut up, Otacon.

[Scowling, his hand closed around his pistol again...only to throw it aside.]

Brother. I will not leave here without him.

[Liquid hesitated--something quite unfamiliar to him--and his voice lost much of its edge. He wasn't going to win this, that much was becoming certain.]

...just let him go. I'll do whatever it takes. Just...leave him out of it.