Keys were clattering as usual in Otacon's lab. Pieces of machinery were lying all over, resembling more a mechanic's workshop than a scientist's laboratory. Hal himself was currently putting together the program for a new toy for Sunny and Snake to play with before time ran out.

Before he was gone.

Otacon took off his glasses and wiped the tears away from his eyes for what seemed like the tenth time in five minutes. He positioned the glasses back on his face and laughed to himself grimly. Snake had only made fun of him for his switch back to glasses a few hours before…

"What in the hell do you think you're wearing?" The old man had scoffed and poked at Otacon's glasses, tapping the lens.

"I went back to glasses. Contacts irritate my eyes." Otacon massaged his eyelids and sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. Sunny continued to cook next to him, humming softly to herself, the blue flower in her hair dipping and curving as she bobbed her head to the rhythm of her humming. "Anyways, there's nothing wrong with glasses. It reminds me of the old days."

"The old days, huh?" Snake leaned against the opposite counter, sighed and grinned right afterwards. "Yeah, the old days. I remember when I first met you. You've changed a lot, Hal."

As have you, Otacon wanted to say. Solid Snake had aged rapidly within a span of nine years, and Hal Emmerich knew that there was a lot of regret in the forty-three-year-old man's body. It was odd seeing Snake out of a body suit and in a regular tee and slacks. It was even more odd to see Snake without a cigarette, and from the way Snake's hand moved, Otacon knew the thought of his old habit was on his mind. "Yeah, changed. Sure." Hal's tone was sarcastic.

"See? Before, you'd be pissing your pants and babbling about your goddamned anime shows. Now you actually act like a real man. Kinda like that Akiba kid." There was a long pause and Snake straightened up, reaching for the cup of coffee that had just been made.

"It was a nice wedding," Otacon quietly said.

"Hmm." Snake finished his drink and sighed. "It probably was."

"She'll be alright. Meryl's strong. She probably learned a lot of it from you."

Even Sunny stopped her humming and turned to look at her adopted Uncle Hal. Snake looked beyond the rim of his mug and snorted. "That's funny. Real funny." But the humor was out of the atmosphere when Old Snake slammed his coffee down. Sunny flinched and Hal reached over to squeeze her shoulder. "She learned something from me?"

"Snake, you can't be mad about-"

"Why can't I be mad about this, Otacon? Hmm? Why can't I be mad that life was stolen away from me like I've stolen the life away from others? Why can't I be selfish for once?"

Otacon formed his hand into a fist. "Sunny, go downstairs. Go talk to Rosemary."

"But Uncle Hal-"

"Now."

Sunny was taken back from the tone in her Uncle Hal's voice. "O-okay." She ran to the steps down to the lab, pausing to look back. Otacon gave her a nod of encouragement, waving her off. She frowned slightly and ran down the steps. Sunny turned and opened the Codec program, calling Rosemary up. "Rosemary…?" The screen flashed once and Rosemary's soft face appeared. "What's wrong, sweetie? Where's Uncle Hal?"

"He sent me down here…"

Otacon faced Snake with an irritated look. "We both know that's not what I meant. You aren't selfish when you want more time; you're mourning the time you lost. You're mourning the fact that she left. You're envious of the life Johnny lives now, just because it's a life with her. Do you really think that it hasn't happened before?" Hal's face softened and he picked up the coffee mug, holding it out for Snake. "You're human. I'm human. Most of us are still human." Otacon looked down at the cup. The glare off his glasses caught his eye. "It's okay to want those things. You can't be perfect. Sunny and I love you for you. We don't need perfect. We don't want perfect. We want you."

Snake's head lowered and after a moment, to Hal's surprise, Snake's shoulders started to shake. "I don't want to be loved. I don't deserve love. I've ended too many lives to-"

"Oh, not this again." Hal grabbed Snake's shoulders and shook them. "No, you cannot keep using that excuse! You had to do some of those things, and did you enjoy it?"

"I'm just like him…"

Hal took a step back. "Just like who?"

"Like Liquid…"

Something snapped inside Hal Emmerich. Maybe it was a build-up of frustration and anger at himself, maybe it was anger at the world. "Who cares? Who cares what Liquid said? Who cares at all? You are you, David! You are my best friend and I don't care what anyone else says! You're my brother, and I don't want to ever hear you say that you're like him! Ever!" Snake just stood there, head down. Otacon closed his eyes to keep the tears back. "Would you kill me for the hell of it, David?" The whisper came out of Hal's mouth softly and quietly, poised like a knife at his own throat.

The old man stood there, just looking at his feet. After a moment, he croaked out, "You should know that I wouldn't. I couldn't. You're the only one I can call 'brother'. You're one of the only people I am able to count on."

Hal smiled softly. "If you can't kill a sniveling coward like me, then you're not like him, David." He took steps forward and embraced his friend-no, his brother. Snake shook softly, trembling sobs coming out. "It'll be okay. Just let it all out…"

"Let it all out, let it all out. Tsuyogaranakute ii n'da ne. Dareka ga kaitetta kabe no rakugaki no hana ga yureru…"

Otacon looked up in shock as his mind translated the Japanese in his mind. Sunny was listening to...but…why? He stood up and slowly went up the stairs, one step at a time. And slowly what came into view…

…Was Snake dancing with Sunny. A grin was spread across her face and across Snake's as well. "Faster, faster!" Sunny shrieked.

Snake grinned and twirled her, resulting in her shrieking and laughing. The glint of the glasses caught Snake's eye and he let Sunny start dancing on her own, walking over to clap Hal's hand in his own. "I decided to live again. I keep forgetting who I really have here to live for." Snake sighed. "I'm sorry."

Otacon sighed and smiled in happiness as the music continued. "Just as long as we still have you here…"

Let it all out, let it all out…

No need to pretend you're so strong.

Someone's drawn a graffiti flower on the wall, and it's swaying.

Nobody would understand you the way you are now,

As we lose and gain many things while we walk this long, long road.

And even though there maybe days we suddenly feel so lonely and cry…

Pain or tears, let's change them into stars.

Light a light that will shine on our tomorrow.

Though we may waver now and then, let's do this together;

We'll find that forever, glittering brightly with stardust.