(no subject)

[warandpeace]

Who: Kazuhira Miller | Various
When: Month of October
Where: Moira | The Mini Colony
What: Various
Warnings: slavery, references to past pet death

Open | Mini Colony

Closed to Venom Snake | Training Sim

Closed to Harry Hart | Harry's Workshop

Comments

[warandpeace]

[He can see the concern there. It's as unique as the respect from David. Genuine worry for him, not just for the MSF or superficial goals. It's for him, not just the Diamond Dogs.]

[Kaz moves the hand at the back of his neck to smooth more of his hair around the curve of his ear, feeling the notch from his scar as he does. That other hand he's reluctant to move, drawing comfort from every strong beat against his palm.]

You earned a place at my side, too. If you ever want to talk more. [Maybe he might. If Kaz is lucky. He'll force the issue one day if he has to, make his proposal, but it would be nice if he asked. Asking for permission has been important for this. He's spoken to everyone he needs to, because no one ever asks them. Their free will has never mattered, intelligent choices. But he wants it to.] I guess I spoiled the mood.

I'll be okay. [He doesn't mean with the future; he means with what he knows. He's known for a while, he's had this plan for a while. He'll be fine. After all, he did this today. All he has to do is get a little stronger.]

[alterplex]

[ It's exceedingly less difficult for Venom to count himself as being outside of the ranks of this nebulous future, if only because he knows he wasn't 'built' to have one. His autonomy died on the day he decided to shield Big Boss from Paz's bones, and so did his notion of free will.

Regardless, it's still "Venom Snake" that gently lets go of Kaz's wrist. He never needed a prerecorded voice to understand that Kaz needs certain things from him— support, patience, a presence— which is why his callused touch over Kaz's collar, readjusting clothes from where the arm wrestling match knocked them askew, are genuinely his own. Affirming, even as he pulls away. ]

I was the one that brought it up. [ The subject of Big Boss, he means. A subtle way to relieve Kaz of any culpability for the mood, which he doesn't hold against his XO by any stretch.

He doesn't miss the use of the future tense, 'I'll be okay', either. ]

—It's been a long few days. Take a breather, Kaz. [ His chair scrapes under his perch, shoulders drawing up and away to carefully dislodge Kaz's fingertips from behind his ear. ] I'll take you to your room.

[warandpeace]

Don't tell Ocelot. [It's the last request he makes about this. But he'll hope, at least that Snake shows some interest in what his plans are. That he'll ask him of his own free will.]

[Like two harried birds, they finish grooming and tending to one another, drawing comfort from slight touches that can't come from Kaz needing assistance to rise or settle or to have his clothes situated properly on his body due to the need for an extra hand. He tucks his hands back close to him, withdrawing into himself again.]

[He can be patient. He's good at waiting.]

[The sound of faint licking draws his attention, and he notes Mama has stuck her snout into DD's ear and is grooming him in a friendly way. As if she had taken some sort of cue from the two masters, though her and the ambiguously wolf looking dog don't look as melancholy as either one of them.]

[Watching the two of them, Kaz picks up his now empty cup and waits for Snake to rise, before offering up his hand again, like he wants help up.]

[They both know he doesn't need it. Not in the way he used to, anyway.]

[alterplex]

[ Right, Ocelot. The request reminds Venom of Kaz’s tenuous alliance with the other leg of the tripod, and he doesn’t contest to keeping Ocelot in the dark about their conversation because it’d only aggravate. It’s a nod that he gives in response, before he rounds the corner of the table and meets that expectant look, that outstretched hand.

He takes it without hesitation, one knee forward and bent slightly to accommodate their differences in posture. His bionic moves to Kaz’s hip, stabilizing the weight that he knows would have faltered in the past without a crutch to lean on. A well-worn routine, almost sanctified.

Kaz is tangible against his side, and Venom waits for as long as it takes for his friend to find his footing again before he detaches. It’s never been an imposition of his space or time to make sure that Kaz is fully functional; Kaz has always done the same to him in spirit, radio to his ear at unreasonable hours.

Venom waits, steadies, and finally leads his friend and dogs out of the sim room when the world feels more solid under his feet. ]