imthe_shit | [ action ]

_{[BAH. Being taken care of? Heather could take care of herself, thanks. Or she thought she could. She's having some second thoughts because she's not entirely sure relying so heavily on Liquid and Otacon for two whole months hadn't made her go soft. That, and... Snake wasn't too far off about her having a tendency to get into bad situations.]

[In any case, maybe it's sixth sense or maybe she was expecting him to show up, but she opens the door and leans out.]}

... Hey.

_{[She got back from seeing Liquid off not that long ago, and she looks... tired, and a little worried. Probably pretty obvious as to why.]

[Around her neck, in addition to the little white locket she usually wears under her vest, there's... a pair of dogtags. Guess who they're from.]}

[He looks over when she pokes her head out, immediately noticing the dog tags. For a moment, he feels anger burn inside him, but it quickly passes... Seems he's still upset about Otacon and Liquid... It's not something he can forgive and forget so easily. Still, he approaches her.]

Hey.

[...]

Can I come in?

_{[She nods.]}

Yeah, sure.

_{[Backing away from the door, she leaves it open for him as she goes back inside.]

[The room's sort of a mess, but then again, it's hard to expect much different from a teenager. The snow's still coming down outside, but Heather's Furret is sprawled luxuriously in front of the radiator like a happy fur scarf. She doesn't seem to be aware of her Trainer's melancholy.]

[Heather sits down on the end of the bed.]}

Did you get to say goodbye to Otacon?

[ He nods, looking around the room. ] Yeah... He called me and we talked via Gear. [Frowns a bit.] Didn't want to face me I guess.

How about you?

_{[She wisely decides not to mention that Otacon came to find her to tell her the bad news... not that she's fully aware of the tensions at work, but she knows enough to know that things have been a little strained between them.]

[So she just nods.]}

Yeah... yesterday.

Sorta caught me by surprise.

_{[She'd seen the transmission from-- well, she'd thought he was yet another clone, but turns out he was the original brand. She should have been more worried. But, well, she was making up for it now by being PLENTY worried.]}

... S'kinda weird. Not having them here.

_{[She was so used to being alone that she hadn't even noticed or considered that she was getting so attached it'd be weird to let them go.]}

[ Snake nods in response, before looking back at Heather. He knows she's a tough kid, even if he doesn't know all that much about her past... But he could tell from looking at her that she had her own fair share of battles. She wasn't the needy sort, but Snake knew all too well that when you lose something you took for granted, you feel like you lost a part of yourself, too. Slowly, he wanders over to the bed and takes a seat beside her. ]

They'll be all right. They're pretty resilient.

_{[People who had gone through that just had a look about them, didn't they? And Heather is the champion of losing things she'd taken for granted.]}

Yeah, I know... I just feel like... I dunno.

It's weird.

S'not that I'm not used to being alone or anything. I am. S'more or less my default. ... But I kinda got used to having them around, y'know?

_{[She doesn't mention that she's worried Liquid will do something stupid and get himself killed. One, she knows Snake doesn't like him, and two, it... it kind of goes without saying.]}

... [Places a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. He's not the best at comforting, but he's trying.]

_{[She places her hand over his after a second, looking up and offering him a small smile. She already felt like she'd gone and taken Liquid and Otacon for granted (and after learning the hard way that this was something she DID NOT WANT TO DO, thanks to those fog illusions...), she didn't want it to happen with the friends who still WERE here in Goldenrod, too.]}

How about you? How're you faring?

[ Gives her a light smile in return, before shrugging his shoulders. ]

I'm all right... I was traveling on my own most of my time here anyway. I guess I just didn't expect the wave of news I heard before they left...

Yeah, me either... I guess I should've.

That guy... the new one who showed up. I thought he was just another one of ... you know, you guys. I think one of you mentioned another clone...

_{[She shrugged again, shaking her head.]}

I probably should've known Liquid would go off on a warpath...

_{[It'd been hard enough just to keep him from RUNNING INTO THE FLOOD when Snake showed up...]}

... But yeah. I traveled by myself for a long time, too.

_{[Except for that one little stint with James and Harry... Heather's stomach turned at the thought. She didn't want to think about that. Not right now.]}

Guess it's back to that now.

Hey.

[squeezes her shoulder again.]

You're not alone. I'm here, too.

_{[That gets a bigger smile, though there's a sad hint to it.]}

I-- yeah. Sorry, didn't mean to make it seem like I was wallowing. I'm glad you're still here.

_{[It was partially for the friends that she HAD here that she had stayed in the first place, after all...]}

'Least now you won't have to sneak around the hotel, right?

_{[... he'd probably do it anyway.]}

I wasn't sneaking because of them. [ kooky old man. ] At any rate...

Heather, I have something important to ask you.

_{[Snake, you so crazy.]

[Her expression sobers up a little, though.]}

Yeah?

You knew about Otacon and Liquid? That Otacon fell in love with him?

_{[... Uh oh.]}

I-- .... yeah. Yeah, I knew about it.

... Otacon thought there was something wrong with him for it. He ... asked me for advice sometimes.

...

[ Rests his elbows on his knees, and stares at the ground. He coughs a few times, looking miserable. ]

_{[Ouch. Heather remains firm in her reasons for not telling anybody about what Otacon confided in her about, but she still feels kinda bad. Lifting her hands, she spreads them slightly.]}

Look, I didn't say anything because it's not my business to gossip around about other peoples' relationships, okay?

... Besides, I was looking after him.

If Liquid had so much as hurt a hair on his head...

_{[If nothing else, Snake would perhaps be pleased to hear about the very real threat Heather had given to Liquid upon finding out about the budding relationship...]}

... Thanks. I guess I can understand your reasons. But for me, I was the last one to know. Again.

[Shakes his head.] How long has this been going on?

_{[Heather sighs. She knows why he feels bad, at least on that note...]}

I know... I'm sorry. I wish I could've said something, but... Otacon was really worried that you'd be angry. He didn't wanna lose you.

_{[How many times had he moaned "SNAKE IS GONNA HATE ME" during his various crybaby sessions? A LOT.]}

And-- ... I dunno, I found out about it back when we were in Azalea, not too long before we left. I kinda walked in on them. ... Otacon was drunk and it was all we could do to get him to sit in one place while I had a talk with Liquid about it.

_{[Do you have any idea how hard it is to give someone the "Wanna see my rifle collection?" lecture when the subject of affection in question keeps on wandering back over and trying to hug everybody?]}

... [ He tightens his fists, pursing his lips a moment before relaxing. Back in Azalea? Was Otacon really that afraid of him, that he wouldn't tell him?

Snake hated Liquid, true. But he couldn't hate Otacon. That wasn't something he was capable of... It sickened him at any rate, though... Liquid Snake of all people.

He felt the man was taunting him again. ] In Azalea, huh.

_{[Heather shrugs, a little awkwardly.]}

Well-- I mean, that was just when-- you know, when I found out Otacon liked him. I don't think Liquid even wanted a relationship back then. _{[He kept on telling Heather that nothing had happened and that nothing WOULD happen-- 'course that kinda CHANGED once they got to Goldenrod and had to share a room.]}

I don't know when they officially became a 'thing'.

[ Snake stands up, arms folded. The fact that Otacon and Liquid had so conveniently snuck off made this all the more frustrating to him. No, it wasn't right to yell at his friend for who he falls in love with, but at the same time... It was obvious the kind of person Liquid would turn out to be. And Snake knew that when the time came for that change, Otacon would be left broken again.

Though, in reality, Otacon was going to wind up broken anyway, wasn't he? Snake was old, meant to die sooner or later. This Liquid was young, healthy, relatively sane, and had earned enough of Otacon's trust to always be by his side.

Snake, however, was close enough that he could be in contact with Otacon via Gear, but lately, not much more than that. Maybe it was fine if he let Otacon do what he wanted. He didn't have to tell Snake who he was dating, what he was doing... It wasn't Snake's business.

The old soldier walked a few steps, digging into his pockets for a cigarette.. once again unable to find one.

Hal and Dave? That's a good one! Maybe we should take a trip to Jupiter.

Snake squinted his eyes somewhat, before pulling up a chair and sitting down, heavyhearted. He looked at Heather. ]

So, why did you stay behind? You could be with them right now. I could let you borrow Solid if you wanted to catch up.

_{[Heather remained sitting, her hands clasped in her lap, looking oddly guilty. Like she'd been caught stealing or something-- not just, you know, keeping Otacon's little secret.]

[At the next question, she looks up and shakes her head vigorously.]}

No. I-- ... I didn't want to go. ... I just-- ... I dunno. I'm needed here.

_{[... For some pretty feeble reasons-- feebleness that would be tearing at her like meathooks when the time did come that Liquid fought with his father.]}

I just... I dunno.

... That bitch who tried to kill Phoenix might show up here, and now that HE'S here, I don't even know if she'll try and hurt him again, and-- and Sora's here, and Edgeworth, and I feel like I should be lookin' out for both of them-- _{[Both had been so scared and confused when they had arrived there on that weirdass night.]} and-- ...

_{[Deep sigh. She looked away, running her hands through her hair. They were all excuses and she knew it.]}

... And it's almost Christmas.

... I didn't-- ... don't wanna be going on some quest for revenge on Christmas.

_{[It sounded stupid coming out of her mouth, even to her. It wasn't like the holiday meant much of anything to her anymore-- not after losing her only family back home. ... But...]}

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