Chapter Text
8/20/2005
Otacon leaned back from the computer, heaving a sigh. This was the third time this morning he had poured over the facility’s blueprints and the path he had outlined for his partner in crime. Speaking of Snake, he didn’t think that the man had the patience to run through yet another test of their coms system without protest. Eyes tired and aching from hours of screen time, Otacon stood up from his chair. He shook out his numb legs, and ambled over to the window. Then tread over to the kitchenette. Then over to the window. Then over to the--
“You doing alright?” Snake asked, voice gruff. He was reclined on the sofa, his book to his chest.
Otacon rubbed his forehead. “About as well as I could the day before breaking into a top secret government office, why?”
Snake exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. “Why don’t we just take a walk, if you’re pacing so much?”
It was hot. In the time it took to descend the stairwell of the apartment complex and make it to the sidewalk, they were already uncomfortably sweaty. But Snake had been observant while they took their first cab ride through the foreign city. Just around the corner and a block down was a city park full of expansive emerald trees. Otacon sighed in relief as they stepped beneath the shady canopy, fanning himself with his shirt collar. Unlike the streets bustling with cars and pedestrians, the park was relatively empty; a noisy construction site next door made sure of that. The lack of prying eyes put the hacker at ease, and he released not only the tension from his shoulders but the worries caught in his throat.
“It’s just--” Otacon stammered, “if this goes wrong, you could be killed.”
The sudden statement tore Snake’s gaze from the finches darting two and fro on the branches above. He mulled it over for a moment, then simply shrugged. “That’s a risk for just about every job I’ve done.”
“And me…” Otacon looked down, staring at his hands. “I could rot in prison for the rest of my life.”
“Sounds like I have the better part of the deal, if you ask me,” Snake said and clapped his partner on the back.
Otacon peered back up to him with a worried grimace plastered on his face. Snake exhaled, rubbing his friend’s shoulder in reassurance. Right. Morbid humor wasn’t a staple for Hal Emmerich as much as it was for Solid Snake. He stopped their pace, gripping both of Hal’s arms and facing him head on.
“Listen, we both need to be cautious,” Snake spoke, voice low. “We’re stealth operatives. Me in the physical realm, and you in the virtual. But anxiety isn’t the same as caution. It can trip you up, make you hesitate. I think you’ll find once we get started, it will all fall into place. After all, you’ve helped me before, through Shadow Moses.”
“I guess that’s true…” Otacon said, a wistful smile breaking upon his lips. “And that was a lot more high stakes than this little job.”
“You’re scared because this Philanthropy is your venture, and you don’t want it to fail. But I have faith in us.” Snake shook him for extra emphasis. “And you should too.”
Otacon closed his eyes, steeling himself. He nodded once, twice, then smiled to his friend with newfound confidence. “Alright. Thanks, Snake.”
Satisfied, the soldier relinquished his grip with one hand but not the other, instead wrapping his arm around the back of Otacon’s shoulders. He steered them towards a misty fountain, watching a butterfly dance through the streams of water.
“Hey, we’re off duty. Out enjoying nature, right?” he grinned. “Dave will do just fine.”