[THREAD]

[magna_nimity]

Who: Big Boss, Solid Snake
Where: Outer Heaven, F2
When: Dec 15th, 2008 -- Evening
Summary: Big Boss forgot his own birthday.
Rating: PG
Other: Hamsters.

Comments

[magna_nimity]

There was always something off about sitting on the couch like that; but he could never pinpoint what exactly. Fact was though that he was always very, very tired when he was alone, but he couldn't help but feel a little... (scared) uneasy about closing his eye. Big Boss knew he was old, and he knew it could always be the last time that he closed it.

Then there were the nightmares, of course. Things of the past, buried and long forgotten, and between them, scattered and scarce, impressions of something he could not make out or understand. It resembled the explosion of six years ago, somewhat, but much more intense. Fire, less physical, more emotional. Colors so intense and bright he felt himself going blind and suffocating.

And of course, David was in his dreams, too. In the good ones -- but also in the bad ones. And that was what scared him most. Dreams of fire and the smell of burning flesh and David in the middle of it.

Maybe he should buy one of those books -- oneirocritica or what they called it these days, to help him interpret his own dreams. It wouldn't be so worrying if they weren't recurring, but they were.

But he was too tired to do even that. He heard a faint rustle from the hallway -- probably Snake coming home -- but he paid it no mind. Before he knew it himself, he'd drifted off into semi-sleep.

[baldr_was]

The ball stopped in the middle of the room as the hamster inside paused to clean its whiskers, and after that, nosed the plastic interior of the ball and rolled to the side in exploration of its new surroundings.

That was all. Apparently, Big Boss had not yet seen it.

Though you'd have to be pretty dense not to see a neon pink ball roll into the room.

Frown deepening, Snake silently crept up to peek around the corner and into the room, only to see--

--Oh, well. Feel asleep, apparently.

"Hn."

By now, the ball had drifted near the coffee table. He walked in and carefully scooped it up before glancing back at the couch, weighing his options.

On one hand, he could just leave it here and wait for the other to wake.

(and then watch as he accidentally kicks it or something in confusion)

Or he could just bite the bullet and ruin the subtlety.

Much better.

Silently, Snake approached the couch and gently tapped Big Boss on the head.

[magna_nimity]

There was no response from Big Boss's side, as he had allowed himself to drift off completely to whatever was waiting for him when he gave in to the urge to sleep and rest. His hand was still on the sleeping dog's head, not moving at all.

(happy birthday)

[baldr_was]

taptap--

Huh.

Watching him like this was eerie in a way. The rise and fall of his chest was slow, hardly noticeable; as if it

(as if it was just a trick Snake's eyes were playing and Big Boss wasn't even breathing at all)

Yes, that.

A ridiculous notion in hindsight, but probable. Very probable and horribly fitting, considering the day. Misfortune and irony had that sort of sick relationship; one always followed the other, no exceptions.

Snake closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.

(morbid or not, he had a right to check)

And leaned down, pressing an ear against the other's chest and listening for a heartbeat.

[magna_nimity]

There was a heartbeat, alright. Slow and barely audible, but it was there -- and it was steady.

And Snake's head against his chest was enough to wake Big Boss up and make him aware of his surroundings; he was, after all, a trained soldier and used to never letting his guard down, even while asleep. His senses were sharp, he could hear and feel everything, even if he didn't see.

"Hrmn."

He closed his arms around the other man.

"Aren't you too old for this."

[baldr_was]

It wasn't cause for full alarm, but the sudden response surprised Snake all the same. Warm arms embraced him, holding him before he had a chance to move back.

"I didn't think there was an age limit on this sort of thing," He finally managed to wryly remark, keeping a firm hand on the ball.

[magna_nimity]

"Maybe there should be."

Big Boss kept on holding him for a minute or two, before finally letting go, his arms back in their original position. He knew that Snake sometimes crept up to him when he was sleeping, but he never commented on it before. This time, however, it'd been hard to resist. Being awake and all.

And only noticed out of the corner of his eye that Snake was holding something.

[baldr_was]

He straightened up, cracking his neck to the side. "Don't think it'd last long," Snake said, and finally turned to offer the gift proper to its recipient.

[magna_nimity]

He stared at the pink neon ball for a moment; baffled and trying to figure out what the hell that was supposed to be -- until he could make out the hamster inside it.

He quirked a brow, looking back at Snake.

"What's the occassion?", he asked, tilting his head. "There's still dinner in the fridge; you didn't have to buy a rodent."

[baldr_was]

If he tries to eat it--

"I guess saying it's a birthday present would be a little awkward right now, huh?"

In this light, it occurred to Snake that this may not have been the most practical present to give a man who considered eating strange things a hobby. Almost immediately, embarrassment began to sink in.

"I still have the receipt if you don't like him," He finally said with some hesitance, moving a hand to scratch the still sleeping Kegluneq behind the ear.

[magna_nimity]

"...Uh."

It was kind of amazing that a man like Big Boss, who had a photographic memory and was able to remember very specific timeframes and could also keep track of time very easily and accurately, could forget his own birthday just like that.

Once again, he looked at the hamster in his round, pink cage.

...A hamster, of all things. He couldn't decide if it was cute or dumb. Probably both, but in the end, it was the thought that mattered. He didn't expect anything from Snake, anyway, so whatever he gave him was fine.

"It's fine. Thank you."

Big Boss took the ball into his own hands. What am I supposed to do with it. He never had a pet in his entire life and the dog had been a present to Snake for his first birthday. Well, the first birthday he had been celebrating, anyway.

"It needs a cage, right?"

[baldr_was]

He nodded as he continued to pet Kegluneq. "I already bought all of the supplies. There's also a few pamphlets from the pet store you could use for reference if you're unsure of how to take care of him."

An uneasy pause followed before Snake finally looked up from the dog, gaze idly curious, even expectant.

"What do you think?"

[magna_nimity]

"I think I'm old enough to figure out how to care for a hamster," Big Boss said sullenly, shooting Snake a glance. Slightly indignant.

"And I'm not senile yet, either."

And frowned at Snake's question. Well what did he think?

"Just... why a hamster?"

[baldr_was]

"Fair enough."

He sat down on the edge of the couch, staying close to his dog.

"I guess I wanted to try something different," Snake spoke at length, looking down at the animal beside him. "Sort of like what you gave me."

Even now at the age of twenty-seven, it would have been a severe understatement to say that Snake still appreciated Kegluneq's company. At this point in time, the dog felt like family.

"And you wouldn't have expected it. Seemed kind of fitting, I guess."

[magna_nimity]

Big Boss's gaze followed Snake's to the dog at his side. By now, it had to be around seventeen years old. Much like David himself, he'd found the pup in the cold, unforgiving streets of the Abyss, neglected and starving. That was what he remembered. Hence he never doubted for one second that it was true; afterall, if you couldn't trust your own memories, what was left there to believe in?

I found the dog and gave it to you for your 11th birthday.

(how do you know it was even his 11th and how did you know his birthdate)

I don't know anymore.

"I appreciate the gesture," Big Boss began, and turned his gaze away, "but..."

He opened the small plastic ball carefully and set its prisoner on the floor, where it remained before it scampered off.

"No creature should be held in a cage. Especially not one that conveys the false impression that they still possess some kind of freedom while they can still never reach what they're going for. Even if you only wanted to shield it from harm with this."

[baldr_was]

"..."

He watched the rodent run off in the opposite direction with an impartial glance, indifferent and not phased at all as if this sort of thing had a tendency to happen these days.

Excluding the hamster, that wasn't entirely inaccurate. Like other such choice topics (including the dwindling lifespan of his dog and the inconvenient trust he gave to prospective and potentially threatening recruits among other subjects), it was not something he was particularly fond of discussing. There would be a buildup of tension and always something, something to act like the proverbial final straw that broke the camel's back before they would actually get around to talking about it, often tersely.

This wasn't any exception.

"The alternative isn't any better."