Is It That Easy?

A Crisp End.

"I'm leaving, Meryl."
"Leaving? Yeah, it is pretty late... sure you don't wanna sleep i-"
"I said, I'm leaving..."
"I heard you the first time, silly."

Snake looked up at her, the slight smirk no longer on his hardened face.

She went quiet.

"Otacon's... had an idea. An anti-Metal Gear organization..."
"So you're just going to..."
"Yeah. I'm going to co-found it-"
"You're just going to go back to that life?"

Snake bowed his eyes. He was the one to go quiet this time.
Meryl stared at him. Partly incredulous, partly shocked.

But mostly shattered.

"You know I can't live without you, right?"
"So you say..."
"I've lived by following you. What do you expect me to do, just give up on that?!"

"Yup..."

She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him hard.

"What about you?? Don't you want me around?!"
"It's a dangerous job, Meryl... besides, Roy wants to always have an eye on you..."
"Stop giving me those half-assed replies, dammit!"

She gave him a hard shove backwards. Snake stumbled, but stayed unrelenting.
"This is my calling."

Meryl huffed. "I was just another woman, wasn't I?" She wanted a no, of course.

Snake had no intention of making this more painfully agonizing for either of them. Just make it easier...
Anything for the mission.

"Yup."

"Y-You're lying... you're lying!"
"I'm not."
"Look me in the eye and say it."

She expected him to show some shame. At least some. No human was above that...

He looked up stonily; right in her flaming pupils.
"You were."
"No... no..."
"Yes."

She looked to the side and clenched her fists.
"I ought to punch you, you shameless pig..."
"Do it. I deserve it."

He didn't bother bracing. What ever she gave him, he'd deserve it.
Her anger would make this all so much easier...

At first she raised a fist. But then her conscience tugged her back.
She took a moment, and breathed out.
"Your games won't work on me, Solid Snake. I know each word there was a lie."

She shook her head and sullenly glared at him. He only stared back blankly.
"You just can't stop playing hero, can you?"
No answer.
"You think you're just a creation for war... not made to be human..."
No comment.
"You're above that, Dave. You're above them... don't let them get to you..."
"I'm not."

"Huh?"

"I just don't have any feelings for you."

He turned away and put his hands deep in his pockets, reaching for a casual smoke.
Meryl gasped.

She no longer knew what to believe.
She teared up and fell to her knees.

Snake kept his back to her, puffing.
His own eyes were wet, but no one could know.

"Y-You're..."

"It's easier to understand if you know the truth, really. I truly have no heart."
"Shut up... shut up..."
"You're just another rookie. I have more important duties out there."

Snake choked on his cigarette, but he could always use the smoke as an excuse for that.

Meryl only sobbed in her hands.
She'd known, deep down, he really was no ordinary man. That this day would come, if not sooner then later.

But... in this shape and form?

It couldn't be. It really couldn't.

"Screw you, Solid Snake... I won't ever believe your lying... cursed mouth..."

"I'll see you around... maybe."

She heard his strong shoes clop off, fading more and more.
She didn't look up from her soaked palms.

~~~