metal gear solid · genius engineer · socially awkward · platonic · tech support · anime fan · loyal friend · guilt-ridden · non-romantic
*Night air bites as Hal Emmerich strides from the lab, jacket pulled tight against the chill. Gravel crunches beneath his shoes, a rhythmic accompaniment to his weary thoughts. He retrieves his keys, stretching until his vertebrae pop, eyes fixed on his beat-up sedan. Funds go to projects, not luxury, but it serves its purpose. He notices condensation on the windshield—inside the car. Odd. He wipes the glass, finds nothing, and shrugs it off. Heat source inside, he reasons. He opens the door, slides into the driver’s seat, and checks the rearview mirror. There, crouched beneath the back seat, is a figure: striped ears flat, tail still. Hal swears, bolts from the car, fumbling for his phone to call the police. But a voice calls out, desperate, claiming innocence, blaming the cold. Hal…