bakerstreet | ( picture prompt meme )

[ The text received in return for his is cause for Venom to reevaluate and reassess the nature of his own message; naturally, he scrolls back and opens his own photograph to find that it wasn't the intended one. This would have been far more mortifying if he'd done it where Legolas was free to see his reaction to his own fumble, wouldn't it.

Incidentally, Legolas should look just to his right, up a few floors of Mother Base, to catch a good glimpse of Venom Snake clearing his throat from a third-floor platform. Brows furrowed, lips knit in something that might have bordered on bashful if not for the fact that his scars make his features too austere for that sort of thing.

The man has no idea that the recipient of his text is literally right there, which would account for his pulled-down guard and the rather obvious trepidation in his sway of weight, from one foot to the other.

Give him a moment. ]

It's called a misfire.

[ Regardless of whether or not Legolas will understand this very wry joke, Venom sends it in lieu of the more straightforward 'hey, wrong picture'. He knows by now that Legolas has a sense of humor about these things. ]

[ Incidentally, Legolas did just that. Maybe it was the soft noise of a cleared throat, maybe it was luck alone, but as he awaited the response — and it was sure to come, one way or another — he stretched his arms over his head, and turned to head back from this bout of... sea watching, if you would. Though the longing was long buried beneath too many years, he still took great joy in doing this. The point was, however, that this sure did allow him to witness Venom fumble.

It was a rightful shame, he thought watching Snake idly, that he was not right there to see that expression in its glorious detail. Even with how good his eyesight was, it was still a little difficult to take it all and enjoy it.

In the next moment, his phone buzzed indicating another message— Legolas laughed, and headed, as he had planned, inside. Maybe he'd make his way to that third floor. ]

Indeed! And it shot straight through this heart of mine.
How ever will I recover now?

[ And as he hit send, he couldn't help but shoot a glance up to that third-floor platform. He made a striking figure, Legolas was sure, but for a human sight and from so far a distance, he didn't think Venom would see him— or see him clearly enough to see his mirth.

Or the exaggerated, slightly theatrical way he grasped at his heart, as if, indeed, shot. It earned him some curious glances from the soldiers milling about, but he was known and so was his playful attitude. Some laughed, some rolled their eyes. Legolas knew that it did not add a thing to the text he sent, but it amused him all the same. ]

[ Again, Venom knows by now that Legolas veers on the side of buoyant, but it'll always disarm him how consistently Legolas manages to disarm him with his levity. His Diamond Dogs aren't exactly funereal in how they hold themselves (quite the opposite, really, when push comes to shove), but Legolas sifts through the ranks like an errant sunbeam: spring follows him where he walks.

It's a bit perplexing, but Venom isn't complaining.

On his perch, a few yards away and leaning over the platform railings, Venom receives the next message and breathes in quiet exasperation. The fond brand, a sigh that would have been a laugh in another life. ]

You know where the Medical Platform is by now.

[ So practical, Venom Snake. He doesn't bother pocketing his iDroid after this Sahara-dry jab, fully aware that Legolas will shoot back with something effortlessly charming, the way he always does.

Squint, and Legolas should see the beginnings of a smile. ]

[ Squint and watch carefully, indeed, though before long — within seconds, really — his attention was drawn back to the lower levels where he walked, or more like weaved around the crew. It just wouldn't do to walk into anybody, after all, and even an elf needed to look where he was going. Sometimes, at least. When the distractions were aplenty. Such as unexpected hints of a smile in the distance, and—

Dry, perhaps, and most would not have thought much of it, text responses. For Legolas, though, there was humour in this. Some of it born of his own mirth, indeed, but that little glimpse of a smile told him that was not all and that there was more to it. What he had believed, or sometimes only hoped for, was bit by bit proven true. There was kindness, and now also humour behind those features that all too easily hid all thoughts from even him.

It wasn't oft that he let himself be the butt of the joke, not when there were many other ways to lift people's spirits up and he was still a prideful creature, but he was not wholly above it either. If the moment was right, for the right person or for the right reason, he could turn a blind eye to this fact. ]

But can I make the distance, wounded so mortally?
Will I not bleed to my death on the way?
Such cruel fate you set upon me, V., and I had thought us friends!

[ Now if only there was a soft surface to dramatically collapse on! Maybe, just maybe (or maybe quite for sure), Legolas would have tried that too, to strengthen the effect of the words, push it that another inch, another bit. Alas, it was still all metal and concrete all around on the base. Nothing pleasant in the least. And the play was not worth the pain when the target of the teasing and the target audience wasn't right there with him to see it. So it was just the text that he shoot back, right before he vanished in one door to find the staircase that would lead him where he wanted to be.

His feet made no sound on the stairs, not a squeak, not a thump. ]

[ Levity is hard-won in environments that encourage otherwise. Venom spares his soldiers the luxury of their emotions because they're entitled to them; their dedication to their lives is what spurs 'Big Boss' on his one-man mission to destruction. For every instance that necessitates utilitarianism above empathy, Venom tells himself that it's for the sake of his Diamond Dogs. His family.

Even so, it's his mortal weaknesses that make Venom smile on the rare occasion. Legolas is surprisingly adept at tugging at the corner of his lips with his winning audacity— if ever the stoic soldier found the new 'recruit' difficult to handle, that ship has sailed. ]

You're tougher than you look.

[ Ah, now that's just mean. But it's all bark and no bite, considering that he leans over the railings and scans the scenery sprawling in front of him, squinting his eye against the glint of the ocean under Seychelles sun to see if he can get a glimpse of platinum-blond somewhere in his peripheral.

It's a pity he doesn't think to look behind him. ]

[ After that, there was no reply. Though the text did tickle Legolas pink, like compliments always did, no matter how confident he was in the matter all on his own, he opted not to write anything when there was but a handful of more steps separating him from Venom's current perch. Unfortunately, though, the heavy metal door that stood between them, foiled his attempt at wholly silent approach. Legolas could move silently, but if the door was not well oiled, no elf magic could aid him in opening it silently.

At the very least, it was only seconds between the grating squeak of metal on metal and his emergence—

Which was quite dramatic, as expected, as if the nature itself conspired with the elf. A gust of strong wind blew past, and his hair whipped about, even brighter than normal in the warm Sun, as Legolas all but flopped with his back against the railing right beside Venom. ]

All this, a test?! [ Oh, so pained was his voice, expression twisted into that of betrayal and great anguish. ] To see this toughness of mine!

[ But there was no venom (hah!) to his accusations, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards into a grin all too soon, in spire of the great effort he put into managing a serious expression. They both knew he was jesting. And more than that, Legolas actually had no intentions of making Venom think otherwise, not in seriousness at all. ]

I could tell you easily, if you only asked, that sights beautiful and endearing, both, can be a weapon wholly lethal if wielded by the wrong hands.

[ And he gave Venom a pointed look, as if to say: case in point. "Wrong hands" here did not mean something terrible at all. ]

[ It's for their mutual benefit that Venom doesn't think to arm himself to the teeth at Mother Base: the ambush could have earned Legolas a gun trained between his brows if Venom really thought to be alert in his own home, but the fact of the matter is that the elf is catching the old soul at a good time. All Venom has to show for his companion's sudden appearance is a raised brow and an instinctive bracing against the railings.

(and that slightly tipped jaw, questioning but open.) ]

Overconfidence can also be lethal. Probably not in the way you'd like.

[ Is what he has to say for his partner's grandiose entrance, his exhale bordering on a dry laugh. He adjusts quickly to Legolas's sweeping presence, allows himself to trust that he can focus on the singular companionship of someone he now considers an integral part of his life.

The pointed look is met with an uptick of scarred lips, and, in a moment of true daring—

—a hand to ruffle Legolas's perfectly-maintained head of hair. ]

[ Over the years there still were things that all elves held onto from a culture long forgotten by most. The culture that lived on within him, and those like him. Few as there were of them now. Many concessions have been granted, some rules loosened and outlooks on matters changed. All to be able to live a little more seamlessly among the human folk. But touch, beyond handshakes and brief embraces, was still something reserved only for the closest of friends, and the touch to hair an even more intimate gesture—

And Legolas shouldn't have allowed it, perhaps, he should have ducked out of the way in that manner he knew would not hurt anyone's feelings, and let Venom's hand fall by the wayside, unable to reach its destination. But instead he huffed a startled laugh, jerking away only once his hair was nice and well dishevelled.

Or at least, as much as it could be, with how silky smooth it was, incapable of holding much shape other than gentle waves from how often it was carried in a braid. ]

Is my trust in my own ability, and in those who I know will have my back— overconfidence?

[ A small shake of the head, and his hair returned to its normal shape, only a little more fluffy now, Venom as much a culprit in this as the wind.

Holding the gaze on him, Legolas moved to lean against the railing with his front, bumping their shoulders lightly together as he did. ]

[ People don't believe Venom to be tactile, but that assumption is bred from a tendency to see the title before the man it belongs to. 'Big Boss' is an untouchable concept, a product of allegories and stories that lends to the image of transience; you don't touch legends, because they exist on another plane of reality entirely.

Despite this, the fact of the matter is that Venom is a man of the earth. He gauges people by the pull of their muscles, the expressive silences of their bodies. Legolas bumps him with shoulder to shoulder, and he interprets the gesture as deeply and intimately as he does the words that accompany it— perhaps even more deeply, if the spread of his subtle smile doesn't give it away.

Reciprocation comes in the form of a shuffle, a millimeter-closing of the small gap between them. ]

Not if you put it that way.

[ Please refrain from tugging at his heartstrings, Legolas...

That said, Venom motions to a piece of hair that's still slightly unkempt, then curls his fingers near the culprit in silent questioning. Can I? ]

—Reminds me that I haven't taken you out for a mission recently.

[ For a person all too keen on exaggeration, someone prone to flourish, Legolas was still plenty well versed in the art of subtleties. A master of them, in fact, as much as he was a master of gestures theatrical and overly elaborate. This boldness often hid deeper meanings, disguised against the eyes of the world at large, so only those they were meant to could see them. That is should they be observant enough to catch them.

And similarly too, he could read the same in another.

This now, it was a small point of contact, and it was a subtle smile, but they both warmed him much as an embrace would. ]

You have not, I have counted the days! And boredom— [ As if he ever let himself get bored. ] —can make this restless spirit of mine wilt.

[ A question posed without a word spoken, deserved the same in return. Legolas only inclined his head, closing his eyes slowly as he offered his permission. It was one thing to be surprised with such a gesture, and another to give permission for it. He had to brace, and he did, with his tongue sweeping over his lips discreetly, and with a small inhale, before he looked at Venom again. Though this time his eyelids were just a touch lower over his eyes, long lashes casting shadows, and yet there was still mirth to share— ]

Though it is no fault of yours at all, I suppose, I cannot offer you such a majestic beard as DD can.

[ Shy? No, never. Impish? Always. ]

[ With the permission given, Venom sweeps the flat of his gun-worn finger along the outline of Legolas's ear with medical precision. How funny— maybe he could have been a physician in a past life, if the sniper-sharp focus of his single eye wasn't distinctly combat-honed.

The look eases as he manages to tidy the loose strands of hair back behind his companion's jaw. Pads of his fingers drum along silver-gold, satisfied, before coming back to rest at his side.

He has a hum to spare for Legolas's joke: a half-hm. ]

You have enthusiasm in common with him.

[ Which is a spectacularly rude comparison to make, isn't it, an elf to a wolfdog. It would have been far ruder if Venom'd left it at that, but he braces himself on his feet and looks out into the sprawling expanse of Seychelles waters to find inspiration for his incoming words in the neutrality of the sea. ]

...Got an extraction mission coming up. I'll tell Ocelot to put you down as my backup.

[ It took a great deal of self control not to tremble at the touch, but perhaps the near dead stillness was a blatant giveaway in its own way. Legolas stared right back, though it was with half lidded gaze. ]

I fear I fall short even on that, or my greetings do, for certain. [ It was always a smile, a good word, a welcome back, much less excitable than DD's jump on and slobber all over your face style of greetings. Though the greater point to make here was that Legolas did, often, come out to welcome Venom back from missions, much the same way DD was allowed to. ] But other than this, I suppose, I may have to concur.

[ No, not such a terrible comparison at all. An elf of Mirkwood, or once upon a time of Mirkwood, and a wolf-dog. As honest, as loyal and as vicious, the both of them, after all.

He straightened too, then, shaking his head slightly against the breeze. ]

I will not disappoint you. [ A little more on business now, but not without lightness, still, Legolas tipped his head a little. ] What was it, truly, on which you wished to know my thoughts? I trust there was more to this misfire than the desire to incite jealousy.

[ And never serious for too long. ]

[ If Venom is business, Legolas injects a well-needed sense of play into his pragmatism. With his chin angled towards the seabreeze, Venom blows a silent laugh towards the expanse of horizon. ]

R&D's been busy trying to get you to use something other than a bow.

[ Which is self-explanatory: we've made new 'toys'. Personally, Venom doesn't mind his companion's unconventional choice in weaponry— anyone who can shoot between the seams of riot gear is entitled to choose their own method of murder, in his opinion— but he supposes that it's the principle of the thing. Still, it's an ill fit for Legolas, the sniper rifle. Far too inorganic.

Removing himself from the railing, Venom positions his feet in the direction of the towering platform in question. ]

Test it. If it doesn't work for you, don't compromise.

[ That certainly did earn Legolas's interest. His brows arched and he managed a look that was half-unimpressed and half-amused, moving as Venom did, looking in the same direction.

Old he was, indeed, and very set in his ways, as all elves were— a bow instead of any firearm, always, a bow built by himself using the newest technology and improved upon further. A bow that no other but himself could draw, too heavy for the surrounding humans, but for the same reason, it did not fall short of any sniper rifle, having the range, the power and with an elf's eye: the accuracy. Over most, it had advantages, in fact. Some more important, other a little less.

It was lighter, it was quiet, it did not smell, and it was very much like a fifth limb to Legolas by now, one outside of his body yet a part of it at the same time. He was near certain that Venom understood that.

But at the same time, he was not of stone, he was not himself of metal. A living, breathing force of nature that could adapt, like the breeze that enveloped them. It did not try to force its way through them, but glided over hair, skin and cloth. ]

Would you like to watch?

[ In the end, that was all he said with a sideways glance to Venom and a smile. ]

[ There are a few things he's gleaned about Legolas: one, that the elf isn't impervious to change, two, that the decades and centuries that the elf has on Venom hasn't jaded him nearly as much as one would expect, and three, that Legolas is a rare sort of exception to the rule.

(Venom has yet to meet his companion's father, but if honesty permits, he's not quite rushing to set up that meeting.)

The easy acquiescence to a suggestion that may have offended someone else in Legolas's lineage is cause enough for Venom not to think twice about his answer. He gives his assent with a nod, and gestures for his partner to follow as he winds his way down their network of complex stairs and walkways. ]

Always satisfying, watching you shoot.

[ He means it genuinely, his statement made without looking back to meet the smile that is doubtless spreading over those perfect features. ]

[ There was not a single person in the entire world, or so Legolas believed, that did not enjoy praise. Even as confident as he was in his skills (and in his looks too, though that was not being discussed here and now,) he still enjoyed every such remark. Even more so, when they came from people he valued. In his opinion, too, there was simply no such thing as too much praise.

So indeed, he was smiling, following in Venom's wake. Behind him a step only for a second, before falling in step with him, side by side. ]

I will be sure not to disappoint today either. [ A side ways glance, as Legolas gracefully weaved around a saluting soldier. ] Or perhaps you would like to be my competition today?

[ Without any fuss or ceremony, he pulled out a hair tie — one of the few he always kept on his person — and began braiding his hair, so it would stop whipping every which way with the wind. A little ritual, sometimes calming if he felt nervous, sometimes purely pragmatic. It helped, when shooting, not to have his face full of his own hair, after all. ]

[ The question of whether or not Venom would like to be thoroughly outdone by Legolas spurs a silent laugh into an obstinate breeze. ]

You're really looking for me to feed your ego today.

[ Which isn't a no, which makes it closer to a a yes. This isn't the first time that Venom has been in the company of someone who could outshoot him on a bad day— take Ocelot, as the nearest example— but they've all been somewhat courteous about it. Or patronizing, depending on the angle one prefers to look at it from.

Venom bypasses the Jeep that could take them to the R&D platform in a matter of minutes; the long bridges connecting strut-to-strut extend like pathways straight into the sky, and Venom prefers to savor the howl of the wind and the rhythm of the waves instead of rushing through them. ]

No one on this base is competition, not for you.

[ Quiet would have been, but Quiet is a wound he's still getting over. ]

[ A pleasing answer, indeed, in spite of the bite to it. It was what laid underneath that brought the joy, after all. ]

Perhaps so, after your cruelty today.

[ Walking on the left side of him, to maintain some form of eye contact, the small touch to Venom's elbow fell on cool metal, slightly warmed from body heat and the Sun and warm air of Seychelles, but it was metal all the same. Smooth and alien, still something of a surprise every time his attention was drawn to it. First that it was there at all, and second how well Venom managed with it.

Either way, Legolas did not draw his hand back, though his gaze flicked down briefly. Instead, he let it trail up a little higher, over the edge of the prosthetic arm, to give Venom's bicep a friendly squeeze over the uniform. ]

Or perhaps because none of the others are ever willing. [ Everyone preferred to just watch him shoot, rather than shoot with him. They were not unkind about it, and Legolas himself was smiling as he spoke, but he still had to voice a playful complaint. ] Am I such a poor sport?

[ Truth was, he wasn't, but few ever were willing to get into something they knew they would lose. ]

In return, however, I will offer you my own competition, such as it may be, in a task of your choice. Would that not be fair?

[ Contact to his artifice is a sensation that still takes some getting used to. The feeling of Legolas's fingers around metal is less one of touch but of pressure, a sway of nerves that registers as something secondhand— like a rifle strapped to his back, or a grenade at his hip. His attention flickers to his companion, questioning, when he feels the added weight on gaudy metal, but relaxes as he realizes that the gesture is one of camaraderie as opposed to utility or concern.

He shortens the gap between them just a millimeter, shoulders nearly brushing as they traverse a stretch of sun-warmed platform. ]

Something about your shooting makes the others want to watch. Not every day we find crack shots with a bow and arrow.

[ That's a two-in-one compliment for both Legolas and his Diamond Dogs. You're both exceedingly good sports, is the sentiment; one delivered with a tinge of paternal fondness.

(One wonders why they chose a soulful medic to fill the role of a man with a hollow soul, really.)

At the suggestion of a competition they can play on his own terms, Venom hums in mild contemplation. ]

I'll think about it.

[ He could be cruel and offer a fast-eating contest, but that would earn Kaz's ire for wasting resources, no doubt. ]

[ It was those little things that always made Legolas so comfortable in Venom's company. The understanding that didn't need words, to keep a distance, or to come a little closer, to touch, to almost-touch, to not crowd at all. Few understood the language of the body so well, or the subtle langue of small gestures.

The compliment pleased him, genuinely so, with no mirth or teasing. It showed in the small quirk of the corners of his lips, a smile that did not sharpen around the edges.

Truthfully, though, Legolas had not a single clue what sort of competition Venom would suggest him. Already as he suggested it, he was interested in what it would be and simply doing it, but now with the evasive answer and the thought haunting him all of a sudden, the interest grew tenfold. Legolas glanced over to Venom, eyes narrowed in thought. As if with mere look alone he could glean the thoughts that lurked behind his eye—

He probably could, if he tried, but he never did. ]

My dear friend, you are a master of inciting interest! [ Or was his so easy to pique, with this insatiable curiosity still in full force even at his age? ] What if those ponderings distract me from my shooting?

[ They wouldn't, but who would he be if he did not give Venom shit over such noncommittal answer? ]

[ The thing about being in Legolas's company is that it's potently difficult to remain humorless for too long. Trust Venom when he says that maintaining professionalism around the elf is a struggle.

Keeping his gaze fixed straight into the seam that the ocean makes with the sky, the austere soldier tries, valiantly, not to laugh. ]

If that's enough to break your focus, I'm gonna have to reconsider bringing you out onto the field.

[ Spoilsport.

But, no— there's a twinkle in that single fog-blue eye, and he fills in the gap between his Savage Reply and his subsequent negotiation with a low hum. A rumble, like gentle thunder. ]

—What are you bad at.

[ Not even quite a question, in the way that the statement lacks the proper inflection when it's delivered. It leans more towards idle admiration, being that he can't imagine Legolas fumbling with... well, anything, really. ]

[ This time Legolas did not bother with continuing the theatrics, knowing full well when to stop to not drive right over certain lines that made things turn from funny to obnoxious. He simply chuckled at the joke, because that was all it was, and met Venom's eye with mirth and, more deeply, with trust, and loyalty and a myriad of other things, some unnamed, some still obscured. All of them, however, positive.

It got him wondering too, that non-question. Over the many years of his life he had learned to do many things, and if he didn't excel at them, then he was at least passable. And then there were things he was poor at, when compared to the other elves. With humans, there was even fewer of them. ]

I have only the rudimentary knowledge of technology. [ He offered, tipping his head sideways. Genuinely helpful. ] I do not know how it is at all that this— [ He spun, speaking, to walk backwards towards their destination and face Venom fully. His fingers once more found his elbow, but this time instead of up, they trailed down. ] —moves the way you wish it to.

[ There was no mirth now, just warmth in that smile, as he drew up Venom's metal arm. His fingers and hand bumped into the wrist, nudging lightly the palm to open and the fingers to spread, to match the splay of his own. ]

And yet, gladdened I am it does what it does.

[ Sometimes Venom catches that other in Legolas's eyes, but he doesn't rush to attribute a name to the missing number. Time is only afforded to Venom in increments, fleeting pockets of solace the burn away as quickly as they're presented— shared moments are priceless, and emotions offered never required a label for them to feel important.

(sometimes it feels... incongruous, that he cares so much at all. but that's ridiculous, isn't it?)

Matching his namesake, Venom lightly snakes his fingers around Legolas's for a brief moment, gently constricting before letting his companion do what he will with the point of contact. ]

Wouldn't worry. [ Venom replies with a lightness that speaks to how he's come to terms with his 9 years of stasis. ] I don't, either.

[ That moment when cassette players are top-of-the-line technology... and yet, iDroids also exist??? All you can do is roll with the punches. ]

Looks like I can beat you at driving, then. [ Back to the topic of competitions for a moment.

Venom tries not to look too pleased. ]

[ It was a sweet gesture that Legolas returned gladly, his fingers comfortable in between the spaces of the metal digits, even knowing that Venom would not feel it. Not on this hand, anyway, but perhaps he would see it and the intent would be enough to convey the sensation or invoke the memory of such— Or perhaps he should not discriminate at all! (Only that was not it, at all.) And with as a second thought, as he let their linked hands drop and separate again, he lifted his other hand in air and wiggled the fingers. A playful, silent encouragement along with the matching grin that spoke volumes about what he wanted. He thought, hoped rather, the meaning was obvious enough.

Soon enough, though, laughter followed. Driving. Ha, indeed! Legolas might have got a driving licence once upon a time, but it didn't see much use. Cars were loud and smelled terribly, much like so many things in the contemporary world. And so he didn't like to drive very much, and what he didn't like, he tended to do poorly with. ]

The chances are very high, but let us not pass judgement before we test it!

[ Even though Legolas knew what the outcome of that would be, already. Still, what fun would there be in admitting that and not going through with it? ]

I will not offer you the insult of forfeiting before we even begin, as you indulge me.

[ Oh. Well. What passes as straightforward for Legolas seems to have been a blind spot for Venom— he blinks, bemused, before lowering his shoulders to blow a faint sigh into the wind.

And they say that Big Boss is undefeatable. ]

Never mind. Can't run the risk of watching you drive off the platform.

[ That kind of blood is one that he doesn't want on his hands, thank you very much. For Legolas's little show of insubordination, Venom takes that clever hand with its fluttering fingers and catches it by the wrist. For a fleeting second, it's almost as if he'll move to press his scarred lips against those fingertips—

—before he lets go and makes his way onto the deck of the R&D platform proper. ]

I'll think of something else.

( picture prompt meme )

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oh my god, i lost the notif for this— I'M SO SORRY AAAH

aww, no worries! c: I'm glad you found it again / remembered, though!! thank you!

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hope this is okay...!

it's absolutely perfect ♥

♥ ... and also sorry about that premature notif... sob

DON'T WORRY AT ALL i've done so much worse, trust me...

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EMERGES FROM THE NO INTERNET ABYSS

webee!

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