022. Action

[foolishwren]

<sub>(ooc: Locked to Liquid, although because it's outdoors and in a semi-public area, others may have to endure overhearing some of the CAPSLOCK RAEG if they're nearby, so if you want to officially say that your character overheard Heather screaming "BAG OF DICK" or something, feel free.)]





[After being gone from Violet for about a week, Heather's been making her way around the town. Checking up on things, tying up loose ends, y'know, the usual after you'd been gone for seven days, fighting flying alphabet soup and searching for kidnap victims.]

[Heather's usually a casual stroller, but today, there's an urgency in her walk and the shadows under her eyes say that she's stressed and in no mood to be deterred from whatever it is that she's doing. That something is looking for somebody. Not a kidnapped victim this time, though.]

[It's awhile before she thinks to actually check the Center-- because frankly, she was hoping to find him somewhere not so... public... but oh well. Sure enough, a short distance from the red-rooftopped building, she spots a familiar bare back and head of blond hair. Taking in a deep breath, she hastens her pace and calls out to get his attention.]</sub>

Liquid!

Comments

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

And if they made something monstrous instead of a person?

[What kind of options would an abomination to nature have?]

I know that you're trying to divert me from what you said. I'm not going to drop that off so easily.

[Remember his bloody-minded stubbornness? It wasn't limited to just one thing.]

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather turned her head look him in the eye. Her brows were furrowed. She was checking, wordlessly, to see if he was serious about that.]}

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

[He was serious about it-- about both things, in fact. And he wasn't referring to anyone but himself when he spoke of abominations unto nature; what else could he be but that? What was he but something that science had made and taken and twisted until it broke?]

Well?

[foolishwren]

... Okay. Fine. We can do it this way.

_{[Liquid was not the only abomination present, after all.]}

You want something that was made monstrous-- came into the very world, expected and created to do solely one, horrible thing? _{[She spread her arms, eyes narrowed and with a self-deprecating laugh in her voice.]} It's all right here, baby. I might not've been grown in a test tube, but the way I was made wasn't normal and neither was my purpose.

Someone-- they made me to do one thing.

... And I fuckin' decided not to.

Easy as that.

_{[... Well. The deciding part had been easy, anyway.]}

Fuck them. I decided I didn't wanna play their nice, preplanned little game and bada bing, bada boom, world was saved.

Simple as that.

Now everything's peachy fuckin' keen and you're standing here and telling me that just because someone meant for you to be a human ticking time-bomb, you don't have a choice.

To quote my earlier statement... BULLSHIT.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

Easy as...?

[He'd done it all his life. Being a weapon was ingrained into him, and it wasn't going to be so easy to be different. Liquid knew that he was so far from normal in every way that he couldn't find it with binoculars and an atlas.]

[His first reaction whenever anyone touched him was to snap their neck.]

It's too late for me to change.

[foolishwren]

<sub>[This was sort of why she wasn't touching him.]

[She WAS, however, going to yell.]</sub>

Oh, SHUT UP!

How much older are you than me?

Two years?

Three?

Grow the fuck up! You're scared of changing, so you're using the same damn tired excuse to weasel out of it.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

I told you, I'm not

[He grabbed her by the shirt, his hand gripping the fabric until his knuckles went white.]

I don't know how to be anything other than I am! And even if I could be something else, why would I deserve it?!

[foolishwren]

_{[Her eyes widened as he grabbed for her-- and her first instinct was to jerk backwards. But he was able to snag the fabric of her shirt anyway, and once she realized he was grabbing that and not something else, she met his eyes and scowled deeply. She might not have been struggling, but she wasn't relaxed, either.]}

I told you.

People. Learn.

You deserve to not be a weapon as much as anyone else does.

Let go of me.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

[He let go. As angry as he was, he didn't have any desire to hurt her.]

And what have I done to deserve what anyone else deserves?

[foolishwren]

_{[Yanking away as he let go, she folded her arms defensively.]}

Be a person.

That's all it takes.

Everyone deserves a chance. The only thing you can do NOT to deserve one is not to TAKE one.

I've talked and hung out with you for two months now. I'm not sayin' I know you inside and out, but you're a fuckin' person. It's pretty hard to carry on a conversation with someone who can't do anything but kill.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

I don't know how to change.

When I say I've been what I am for all my life, I mean it. I've had blood on my hands for a long time. How am I supposed to wash it off now?

[It was easier said than done to be a person now when he'd been a weapon for so long.]

[foolishwren]

_{[She took a deep breath and covered her eyes with one hand for a moment, putting the other on her hip.]}

I can't tell you how to change.

That's something you'll have to figure out for yourself.

I'm just sayin' it's possible.

... And that it's better than what you're letting yourself have right now.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

[Liquid wasn't letting himself have anything at the moment-- not friends, not happiness, nothing but fighting and revenge.]

I don't know if I could give up my hatred, even if I tried.

[foolishwren]

_{[Yeah. Yeah, that was sort of the problem. When Heather looked at him, it was with anger that was sooort of kind of tentatively draining away. His words just... sounded so hopeless. She was still pissed, but...]}

Only way to know is to try.

... I'm not sure I ever gave up mine.

Not entirely.

But I still made it.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

To what? What did you make it to that's any better than what I have now? At least now I have purpose. I have reason for being.

[foolishwren]

_{[Then Heather did something that Liquid miiight not be expecting. She smiled. It wasn't a very happy smile.]}

A life.

<sub>[She didn't-- ... couldn't say anything else. Because if she actually came out and said that she had some great, shiny life after everything, after she'd defied her origins and her past self... it would be a lie.]

[They'd taken away the thing she'd been living for.]</sub>

A real life.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

...

Is it worth it?

[foolishwren]

_{[There was a long pause. Then Heather nodded. Subtly at first, then more emphatically.]}

Yes.

So much.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

...Hn.

[He looked at her for a few long moments, then turned away.]

[Things to think about, most certainly, but not here. Not where his brother was.]

[foolishwren]

_{[She was quiet for a moment, holding onto one arm and sucking her lips inwards.]}

... I won't stop you from leaving.

Just... remember what I said, okay?

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

What reason is there for me to stay? Otacon would be better off traveling with Snake instead of me. Just keep an eye on him.

[He still was intent on leaving behind the only friends he'd ever had.]

[foolishwren]

_{[She shrugged there. As much as she didn't like the idea of him storming off, maybe it... was what he needed. Smothering someone never worked, after all... you had to let them come to YOU sometimes.]}

I can't give you a reason... could be going out on your own a little while to calm down'd be a good thing. Sometimes I need to do stuff like that.

... But I know Otacon'd worry... He really likes you, y'know. You're his friend. Or at least he'd like you to be.

.... And, y'know, you're a pretty cool guy to hang out with. When you're not all... mad and growly. _{[She said that with a weak grin. It was a pretty lackluster attempt at humor, but hey, it was there for what it was worth.]}

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

[He looked back at her.]

Is that so? He'd said-- [Liquid caught himself.] It doesn't matter.

[One corner of his mouth quirked in an attempt at a small smile.]

You aren't so bad yourself.

[foolishwren]

Would I lie to you?

_{[She paused, then reconsidered.]}

Would I lie to you about something like that?

<sub>[The answer was no. Heather didn't believe in stupid catty friendship games.]

[She managed a smile as well.]</sub>

Well, I try my best.

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

...I suppose not.

[Had he been mistaken? Judged too rashly-- not that this was unusual-- and been wrong?]

[sigh] This is all very troublesome.

[Ever seen Liquid look uncomfortable before? No? Well, now you have.] I suppose I ought to... thank you.