Title: Rising/Fighting/Falling/Dying

Pairing: RaikovVolgin

Notes: (Written for MGSSlash's Gay Monthly challenge) If anyone gets why Raikov's brothers are Alexey and Dmitri, and/or where I ganked the titles from, they will get some serious love. And possibly cookies. Because I'm geeky like that, and the cookies are great. XD This is probably in the same continuity as "Lament".

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Rising

Raikov was happy when he received his orders, to be going again, even if he'd never heard of Groznyj Grad.

"Darling," his mother told him, clutching his hands, "my little Vanya, I do so wish you would leave the army, stay home-- where is this place? I don't like not knowing where you are."

"It's all right, Mother," Raikov said, "Alexey and Mitya are here to take care of you." He smiled at her, gently, and nodded to the creased orders lying on the table. "I've heard enough about the commanding officer-- it'll be another adventure to tell my children."

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Fighting

"I want to try something new," Raikov breathed against his ear, then bit down just hard enough to hurt. Volgin moaned and nodded, and Raikov caught his arms, his wrists, above his head, up against the headboard-- and his lovely plan was brought up short when he realized his pistol was still on the belt.

Growling curses under his breath, Raikov sat up, kneeling over Volgin and trying to wrest the holster off. Rumbling with laughter, Volgin pulled him down for a rough kiss.

"Ivan, love," and he paused to kiss Raikov again, "your tie is lying by the door."

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Falling

He knew full well that the only reason he was here was to fill a gap. That was why he might as well still be in the truck; after all, the hiding spot he was supposed to be in was only paces away from the cab and a seat. And-- for all that he was a filthy American, and the one who convinced Raikov to join the rebellion against Gene, and far too blondly handsome-- Campbell was more interesting conversation than Raikov's own mind.

... Except for the awkward questions, whose answers were "Volgin" and a knife in Raikov's heart.

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Dying

When he heard about Big Boss, he quit FOXHOUND. Retired. Handed in his resignation, threw what was his in a box, and started to drive.

It wasn't, he told himself, out of any loyalty to the man who killed the Colonel. There was no forgiveness for that, not even for Big Boss, even if they had seemed to become sort-of friends. (They weren't really friends, though, Raikov was sure of it.)

And, since they weren't really friends, there was no reason for Raikov to pull over to the side of the road, stare into a cornfield, and cry for him.