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[This is very pointedly audio only. Miller's not going to show his face for any of this. And his speech? Carefully measured.]

Ishmael died. Big quiet bearded guy. Looked a little like a few other people that have been on the ship. He had a heart attack. Resuscitation attempts were made. Didn't work...

I'll be around the ship tending to some of his affairs until revival is successful. [Because it will be, dammit. He can't make peace with that asshole just to have him die on him already. He's waited before. He can wait again.] I could use a couple of people helping me clear things up. [And there's the rustle of muffling fabric, the grunt of the man clearing their throat against his sleeve to stifle the noise.]

If anyone wants to use the Training Simulation Room I would appreciate if one of the other specialists handled it while I took care of this.

Thanks ahead of time.

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Are you fucking kidding me.

[It's said more as a statement than a question.

Another opportunity to die and yet he still didn't die by Liquid's hand. The universe is cruel.]

Heart attack, hm? What a way to go.

[Doesn't he know it. This has his brother written all over it.]

[He wants to get mad, but its useless. After all, how bad did he want Big Boss dead before he got here? Willing to burn down the world. Miller hates Cipher, and in knowing he somehow ended up at FOXHOUND... While he's sure that's somewhat protected by John's old associates, it means he had John marginally more than Cipher. The scales had tipped in John's favor.]

[It's discovering Ocelot's level of information control that stripped him of some of that hate, but discovering the future that forced him to not let it rot him inside. He has no idea what would do the same for Liquid, but it's not getting pissed right now.]

It's FOXDIE. You should probably go to the Med Bay and have them look into it.

[No matter how much Liquid has been behaving, there was always this underlying thought of killing his father. His brother too, while he was at it. There'd been no reason to act on them, but...

Well, that's another chance gone.]

Thought so. I know how it feels. Everything seems fine, and then your heart stops. Funny thing... I just got a message that they found a cure.

[Just a little too late, apparently.]

Should probably hurry up and get that done before I have to go through all that a second time.

You think he's coming back, then?

They what?

They just found a cure?

[It seems like it both makes sense and it's the most unpredictable, most cruel irony.]

Yeah. He'll come back.

[No, he doesn't know. But he does know he'll wait anyway. Like he's always done.]

That's what I've heard. He's really got the worst timing.

[Doesn't even have the decency to die right.]

He might want to get it too when he does, just in case.

[To tell the truth, he sort of wants him to come back. He can't kill him eventually if he's still dead, and... well, now he'll have to pick up his slack at work, too.]

Ugh. Now I'm going to be paranoid about every moment until I get this taken care of.

[Like he hadn't just had to deal with an unpleasant bout of paranoia already.]

Probably should do that. I've seen enough dead Snakes for one lifetime.

[Would have been responsible for the deaths of enough of them, too. Sweet irony. Here he'd stopped wanting it, buried the hunger. Managed to kill one off, anyway.]

I've been enough dead Snakes for a lifetime. I'm not letting it happen again. I'll see what they need me to do, and get it taken care of ASAP.

[Oh, he'll never let go of wanting to kill his father and brother, but he's not going to bring that up. Not right now. Maybe next time his father goes down, it'll be by his hand.]

...Are you alright?

[Oh no, he kind of cares. Slightly. It's a start.]

It's complicated.

[Then, of all people, maybe because he knows that Liquid won't be entirely sympathetic and somehow that feels safer, since he shares that ruthless knack for honesty with his father, he says a little more than he normally would] I was there when he went into his coma. Heard his heart stop on the monitors. After that, I increased my medical skills while I waited. Vowed to myself if something happened to him once he woke up, I could handle it. This time, everything would go right.

You loved Mantis, right? At least as the family you trusted. [From what it sounded like, at the very least that.] Well. Guess you can figure out how I'm doing. [Even if his emotions were muddied with other, more contemptible ones. The love is still there.]

Ah. Well, it's... a bit hard to prepare when you're up against a virus.

[Liquid then goes silent for a few moments, but the audio feed's definitely still on.]

...Yeah.

[When Mantis had died, he barely had any chance to mourn. And his brother calling right after just rubbed salt into the wound. He'd said some things he wasn't proud of, far too harsh, but he wasn't allowed to be himself. Channeled his anger into the wrong words.]

At least... he'll be back. You've got that to hold on to.

Oh yeah. I know that.

But then again, so to you. Twice over. [As a youth, and as an adult.]

[He's gently surprised by that sentiment. Figures it's probably lip service, since he can't imagine why Liquid would want Big Boss alive (other than to kill him again). But coming from Liquid, it's an oddly exceptional thing.]

[Maybe paying off a debt for helping him keep his mind.]

He'll be back.

[With all the difficulties and irreparably muddied waters that come with that.]

Well, you know, at least with the parasites I thought I was preparing.

[But he was twelve years old, dealing with things he'd barely understood, and if it hadn't have been for Mantis he would have given up. And that's just not who he is.]

But FOXDIE'd just... there wasn't any way to plan, except demand a vaccine and hope for the best.

[It's something like sympathy that seems to be rearing its ugly head, and he can't believe it's happening in regard to his father. Although really it's for Miller's sake. Except doing things for Miller's sake is weird too.

But it's more just the thought of how his team wouldn't be coming back. The people he cared about. Now, sure, there's a possibility any one of them could march right through that Ingress and back into his life.

Doesn't mean he never lost them, and considered them lost for good.]

Think he'll be pissed off about it?

[And in an odd break from the solemnity, he says-]

I never knew what the hell he'd get pissed about. He'd be calm one moment, pissed the next.

This'll probably get to him, yeah.

[Which is why he feels so guilty that he knew it existed but didn't think it would end up relevant, dormant as David had told him it was.]

At least you and Solid won't have to worry about it anymore. One less concern. But uh.... thanks for yours, too.

[There's a pause for a few seconds before Liquid lets out a quick laugh.]

Is that so?

[Maybe part of Liquid's temper is genetic.]

Yeah... don't mention it.

[It's... awkward, being concerned. And even more awkward being thanked for it. Even if it's just because of parallels he can draw with the people he cared about, it's still... well, it's strange, that's all he can say about it.]

I had to tell Ocelot about the virus, by the way. He was going to find out anyway.

I'm going to try and talk him out of putting the blame on you two. Try to keep him focused on the idea Big Boss needs immunized. You were victims just as much as Big Boss... but... you know how Ocelot can be.

Just a heads up.

[He's going to warn both the boys, just to be sure nothing bad happens to them. Liquid's managed to wriggle his way into the better side of Miller's protective streak, at least.]

[Liquid audibly groans.]

Ah, yes, because I decided it'd be fun to have a virus. Can't think of any better way to spend my time than worrying if something's going to kill me again.

[Of course Ocelot's going to blame them for it. Of course.]

Yes, I know how he can be. He can be bloody weird about my father. Bet he wouldn't have cared if it'd happened to Snake or me.

[Don't worry, maybe he's a little appreciative of him being protective. A little. Just a tiny amount.]

No, he wouldn't.

[Maybe Eli, actually. Because he needs Eli. A lot of people fall in love with Big Boss. Ocelot just has his own way of expressing it. Kaz's love isn't unconditional. He has his limits, and if he hadn't discovered discrepancies between what he knew and what Big Boss had done, he would still be more angry than attached. Ocelot's devotion practically is without limit.]

[Unfortunately it makes him a bit of a yes man to Big Boss's more ill-advised choices, and someone that will shut down anyone who sees differently. And it makes him capable of stupid decisions on Big Boss's behalf.]

I'll talk to him, do my best.

[As if Ocelot usually cared what Miller had to say, but maybe he will on this. Even if either one of them were intending to kill Big Boss, they're both aware how cowardly a virus is.]

Typical.

[Ocelot might have hid a lot of things from Liquid (much to his massive chagrin when he found out) but there was no way he could hide how he felt about his father. And that had always been infuriating.

Anything involving his father was infuriating.]

If he tries anything, I'll have to fight back.

[It's said very matter-of-factly, because that's exactly what would happen in such a case. And he's not the kid he used to be; he'd probably do better than ending up with a dislocated arm.]

But yeah, do what you can.

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