WARNING: This fic is comprised of angsty fluff, SLASH, SnakeMarth SLASH, a humanized Solid Snake, SLASH, references to Metal Gear Solid, and SLASH. Oh, and did I mention SLASH?!

SnakeMarth SLASH ahead.

I don't own Super Smash Brothers. Stop poking me with pitchforks.

Sunset Horizons

The door opened quietly, swinging slowly and gently. The breeze from the outside had come in and greeted the swordsman kindly, wiping his brow with a touch of grace. He swallowed, body shaking profusely and uncontrollably. The manor was completely silent. No one dared to move as he prepared himself for what could have very well been the end of them all. He was the only one standing, the only one prepared to take a beating.

Prince Marth prepared himself, unsheathing his sword and staring straight ahead, a blank look in his eyes. He hadn't come back. Gone for nearly two whole weeks to fight his own inner demons, and there was no trace of a reply from him. How could he desert them all? He swore he would tell them his progress, explain the situation, show his real self to them all! His hands tightened on the hilt. He'd been waiting for nothing.

He'd been used this entire time. No doubt about it.

Behind him, Zero Suit Samus huddled near the whimpering Pichus and offering what best comfort a bounty hunter could. They crowded around her, huddling and creating a circle of sorts. Her gaze flashed towards the prince. "Marth- be careful. Who knows what's out there?"

"I don't," he replied softly, bracing himself and still watching straight and true. "No one does. It could be him for all anyone knows. The one he spoke of- the blond, the angel of death. And if it is him…" He didn't have to say anything more as he kept a firm stance. The grim reality in the room seemed to sing the possible outcomes of this confrontation.

Marth watched a foot step into the limelight. A moan escaped the entrant's lips, followed by a collapse forward. The Pichus squeaked in fear, and Samus whipped out her gun without a moment's hesitation. No one moved after this motion for several moments. Time wanted to stand still, but someone decided to give a little push in the forward momentum.

As the group sat- and stood- there, Marth could feel the color draining from his face. The sword slipped from his fingers, hitting the floor with a rather loud clang and reverberating through the whole hall. His stomach churned at the sight of the body on the floor, nearly completely stripped of all dignity and covered in blood wounds. He stepped back, then suddenly rushed forward and slid next to him, grabbing him and cradling his head. "Oh, my god… Snake…"

"Snake?!" Samus repeated with utmost shock. "Alive?!"

The prince cast a cold look in her direction, and she immediately turned away in shame at the remark. "We all had our doubts, to be sure, dearest hunter. But in the midst of the dark cloudiness of despair, there always had to be a little light of hope! Some had it, others moved on, many mourned… but in the end, he has returned! Albeit, he is brutally injured and barely alive, but he made it back to see us!"

She swallowed at this sudden outburst and held her head up, her eyes flashing with inspiration. Her voice was equally fierce, but it held a different sense of purpose. "What do you need me to do?"

Marth blinked, then offered a smile of his own to match. It was both apologetic and passionate. "We must get him somewhere to heal- anywhere! Help is of utmost importance right now. I shall stay here and make sure he doesn't give out on us, and perhaps you can take some of the Pichus and find some others and tell them the news! There could still be believers who can aid in helping nurse Snake back to perfect health!"

As much as the bounty hunter wanted to agree with him, she couldn't. There was something about the ex-mercenary falling flat on the floor that she did not like at all. She didn't know if it was the way he came in or the way he sat on the floor like a heap of flesh, but she knew that he was slipping fast. Not only physically, but possibly mentally as well. Nonetheless, she gave a simple nod and gestured to the Pichus to follow her. Within moments, the little herd was out of the room, off to find a party of sorts to come and aid the fallen Smasher.

Marth turned his attention towards his fallen comrade, his lover through thick and thin. Solid Snake was a mess- a masterpiece with splatters here and there for the effect of pain and suffering. He glanced in the man's hurt gaze, breathing becoming ragged. "S-snake? Can you hear me?"

A confused murmur escaped his lips. "Marth… what the hell am- how did I-"

"I do not know, my cherry blossom," he interrupted calmly, glancing over the rest of his body. "But I do know you are in the manor now. You are safe, having come back from your mission you swore would not take more than a few days." His voice shook with sadness. "You lied, my love. A few days? It was weeks- two, to be exact! And now you look like you have seen the depths of Hell itself! You have worried everyone here!"

Snake gave a weak giggle, as if the prince of love had just told the funniest joke in the history of the mansion. "I did… it was a warm place. They had fire and lots of lava that burned my skin and tortured me to little bits…"

Marth frowned. This was certainly not the same person he knew before the planned mission to destroy what could have killed millions of people. He had changed- for what appeared to be the worse. He slipped his hand into Snake's bloodied own and grasped it, softly murmuring in response. "This Hell you speak of, love- who was there with you? What seemed to make it a joyous experience?"

What was spoken next froze his blood over completely.

"I saw Liquid there- he was all devilfied and had these wings that seemed to burst forth with the fires of eternal hate." He gave another sort of giggle, his demeanor seeming to slow return. "And then I saw him again, holding a needle and injecting me with a serum… then he was beating me senseless and using me as a sort of plaything…" The voice changed drastically here, going from its insane childlike tones to one of a lost man: a human puppy. "Then he forced me to fight him in a battle to the death- whoever lost who would be thrown into the seas…"

From the fires to the ocean- Marth knew then that something terrible had occurred. Something he couldn't ever change. Tears leaked from his eyes as he watched the wounded soldier begin to sob as well. "I thought I would die, Marth," he choked, grabbing his hand and clutching it. "I didn't think I would see you again, and I thought Liquid was going to beat me into oblivion. He was going to kill me, make me never watch another sunrise. I wanted to die, though…"

Shock blurred into his features. "S-s-snake?!"

"You don't deserve me, prince," he whispered, closing his eyes in shame. "Be with Zelda or Peach or another individual. I'm nothing in this place."

"That's a lie!"

Silence at this remark. Snake moaned and moved his head slightly. "C'mon. You know it's true. Everybody loves Sonic more than me, for god's sake."

Marth's eyes flared at this remark. "You have never seen them when you are gone! Especially this time around!" His voice was rising to a pitch that Link would have been proud of. "They worried about you so much! The question rang around this place every day of when you would be coming back! The manor fussed about you day and night about your disappearance to face your heartless sibling and whether or not you would come back alive! I would wait for news every day, but you sent nothing to me. Peach and Ike came with me some days to wait for you! Even Link complained about not having a worthy opponent!"

Snake gave a hint of a grin at this.

"We waited for you! And now you come back in this condition, laughing because a demon nearly destroyed you!" The prince's eyes were now sparkling with tears. "Look what you have done to us all!"

The older Smasher did not say anything at this vent. How could he? Here was his lover he wound fight for, always remember, constantly dream about, screaming his undying adoration for him, and he was beating himself up over the fact that he thought he was unloved.

"Um… I found some help."

Marth turned around, blushing furiously and found his jaw dropping. Behind the woman in the zero suit stood an angel, a princess of Hyrule, a hero of the Triforce, and a blue hedgehog. They stood there, scratching their heads nervously and giving small laughs of sincerity at the proclamation the prince made. The child with wings grinned. "Well, if that's not a love declaration, then I don't know what is!" he spoke happily, attempting to relieve the tension.

Sonic nodded. "You ask me, that was more like a freakin' marriage proposal."

Snake closed his eyes, sighing deeply. "Funny," he rasped.

"But quite true," Samus interjected.

Marth turned back to his fallen mercenary and smiled, shaking his head. "You're home, my cherry blossom. That is all that matters to me now."

A clumsy attempt to hug was made by the wounded Smasher. The prince quietly tucked his arms around his companion and glanced at the others quickly. They smiled in unison and watched him stand up with the heavy soldier in his arms. Link gave a quick nod. "The bedroom is ready. Toad suggested the emergency room, though. He'll get better faster."

"Gray Fox has convinced them to allow you to sleep with him if need be as well," Zelda told him, eyes twinkling. "I found his method unorthodox, but it got them to relent."

Marth smiled a little, nodding at their kindness. "Thank you."

He took his life's meaning and carried it into the hospital wing of the manor, silently thanking any deity who heard for bringing Solid Snake back from the seeming dead.

One thought nagged him, though, just as it did the heroine of the Chozo.

Would he ever be the same again?

Composed to Sunset Horizons by Kaoru Wada on the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete.

Wow. I'm actually really pleased with how this came out. The little thing with Zelda mentioning Gray Fox is a little stupid pairing reference to mine I have yet to do and see: Zelda/Gray Fox. (Or Zelda/Frank depending on his reference materials.) Plus I think Sonic and Snake would be at least decent friends by the time the Brawl season was over. He might not like him in the game, but… jeez, this is fan fiction. Cut me a little slack?

I hope you enjoyed this tale. Reviews are really appreciated. Thanks for dropping by!