Day 43: Courtyard, Third Shift

[oftemptation.livejournal.com]

Once again, Endrance's nurse interfered with his plans. He had been planning to look around the Game Room, but the moment he began to move towards the Sun Room, she had taken him by the arm. "Your family has asked that we make sure you get as much fresh air and sunshine has possible, and you won't get that by staying inside playing video games all day."

He had thought for a moment about protesting, but decided against it. After all, if what had happened to Haseo was punishment for having spoken too strongly the day before, he didn't want to make that worse somehow. So, when given the choice of going out to the recreational field or the courtyard, he chose the latter.

There were a few reasons behind the decision, the most salient being that he wanted to see what the area looked like for a second time - this time without the threat of a brainwashed patient surprising him. The second reason was just as strong as the first, and it had to do with the presence of a second former Demon Palace Emperor. As energetic as she was normally in The World, he couldn't imagine Alkaid not wanting to spend some time outside.

Just as before, he sat down under a tree by the side of the pond, keeping one eye on the door.

[closed to Alkaid]

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[141-12.livejournal.com]

Otacon's eyes widened behind his glasses when Snake came close, and for a few thudding heartbeats, he froze, too surprised by the sudden gesture to react. This Snake was different, but then also wasn't, and Otacon's arms raised tentatively, feeling their way past the fresh injuries as they came around Snake's waist.

"You're crazy," Otacon muttered, with somewhat less force than he would've normally used when Snake got like this. Had he always been so... so...? Otacon didn't want to think the word suicidal, but it popped into his head anyway, and he had to wonder if was going to drive himself insane by the cyclical way his thoughts tended to run now. His hands clenched for a second in the thin material of Snake's gray shirt, and then he stepped back, out of Snake's hold.

Otacon met that steady gaze. "No," he said decisively. He knew Snake had a point — whatever he was planning, Otacon would only slow him down, and likely couldn't contribute much anyway. Going somewhere else and keeping safe would hardly be a change from his M.O. "I'm not aiding and abetting in this. Look at what he did to you! I know you've beaten him twice before, and I know you feel like your father owes you some answers, but you can't—" His voice faltered. "—can't take much more of this."

He sighed.

"Unfortunately, I also know I can't talk you out of it either. So just... be careful, Snake. Like you said, you have a job to do. It can't end here."