Exploration time

[ysobritish]

Who: Liquid, Otacon, anyone who wants to bump into Liquid or just do their own thing.
When: June 5th, around midday
Where:  A random street in Sector 4
Summary: Liquid's apathy fades long enough for him to decide to bloody well explore.
Warnings: None so far!

It had taken a few days for him to actually wonder what this place had to offer. He had, of

Comments

[otaku_mk_ii]

Otacon hadn't gone out very much; the city was dangerous, especially at night. But really, he couldn't help but explore. Just a little. After all, how could he resist looking around? Maybe he'd go to the hospital and check on Snake--he was worried about his friend, after all.

When he saw those small stones fall to the ground, Otacon paused and glanced around; he noticed Liquid on the roof, but didn't say anything. He was still a bit frightened of the soldier, no matter how he tried to hide it.

[ysobritish]

Slowly, the rage faded. The scientist's whimpers drew his attention, drew him out of the sudden blindness that had overtaken him. The pain in his hand was easy to ignore. The terror of the other man was not.

Liquid would be the first to admit he did not feel guilt. Still, somehow, it was concerning to realise that he had frightened the man to such an extent without even meaning to. Was his temper truly fraying to such a level? His control had slipped quite badly there. Flexing his fingers to make sure none of them were broken, he stepped closer to the other man, lifting a hand to lightly grasp his shoulder.

"Emmerich. Calm yourself," he reprimanded, not quite sure how to deal with the situation.

[otaku_mk_ii]

When Liquid's hand touched his shoulder, the ever-skittish Otacon froze up and immediately fell silent.

"I-I-I'm sorry. I d-didn't...didn't mean it like that, I just..."

Liquid was going to kill him, wasn't he?

[ysobritish]

He uttered a low sigh of irritation. "Do stop apologizing. I'm not that much of an ogre, Emmerich. I realise what you meant," he chided, squeezing lightly, almost soothingly, before letting go. In truth, the man had a point. If he had lost it entirely he might have struck out at him.

"Just do stop grovelling. I liked it better when you had a backbone."

[otaku_mk_ii]

"...f-fine." he murmured in response, hands fidgeting nervously. "Just...don't hit me or anything, okay?"

[ysobritish]

"I told you," he sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you unless you attack me."

He supposed he couldn't blame the man for worrying about it. Not after what he just did.

[otaku_mk_ii]

"Heh...I couldn't even if I wanted to."

[ysobritish]

"...why not?" he asked, though he knew the answer already. Emmerich was just too damn nice.

[otaku_mk_ii]

"I'm a pacifist, Liquid." he explained, tone patient and expression cheerful. "I've never fired a gun, never even thrown a punch. Besides, you really think I'd ever be stupid enough to tryand hurt you of all people?"

[ysobritish]

"If I tried to hurt your precious Snake, then yes," he retorted sharply. The idea of living like that was beyond him. Surely the little idiot didn't mean he couldn't even defend himself?

"Do you mean to tell me you don't even know basic self-defense?"

[otaku_mk_ii]

When Liquid put it that way, it almost sounded stupid.

"Well...no."

[ysobritish]

Burying his face in his hand, he sighed heavily.

"Hopeless... you should at least know how to incapacitate someone who's trying to kill you, even if you don't want to kill."

[otaku_mk_ii]

"Why? I could just get away."

[ysobritish]

"And if they pursue? If they're faster than you, or they laid a trap, or you're injured?"

[otaku_mk_ii]

"..."

Guess who didn't have an answer for that?

[ysobritish]

Liquid buried his face in his hand with a vague noise of irritation. "Brother should have taught you to deal with those things at least. I swear, if he doesn't, I bloody well will."