Disclaimer: I do not own Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima and Konami do.

A Snake/Otacon coupling for ya all.

Love's Not Lost

Chapter 1 Beyond Limitations

The rain beat down heavily on the tiled roof of the New York apartment Otacon shared with Snake.
The otaku pursed his lips anxiously and glanced at the clock. 11:45pm. He closed his eyes and thought.

Just a routine mission, thought Otacon, just like all the others.
Snake smirked in that certain way he did, the way that made the anime fan's heart flutter, the reason that he was in love with the mercenary.

[But I could never tell him such a thing, he would only just leave me. Besides, he's as straight as an arrow. The way he looked when he talked about her....Meryl.]

There was no question that she was beautiful, Otacon had to agree, and her butt was very cute. But he knew the woman would never like him, and his heart was already set on another. Another person. Another guy....

Was this wrong? He had always been brought up to believe in the solidarity of a union between a man and a woman, that no other kind of relationship could exist. And for a while, he had believed this, going through life ignorantly, until the day he had met Snake.

At first, Hal believed Snake was there to kill him, but he soon realised that Snake wanted the complete opposite.

[Snake needed me. For the first time....in a while....I felt wanted.]

A pair of arms grasped his shoulders suddenly.

"Waiting for me? " a familiar gruff voice echoed in his ear.

Otacon whirled around quickly in his chair to see Snake standing there. In one piece, thankfully.

" H-Hey, Snake. It's late, what took you so long? " Otacon questioned.

Inwardly, Otacon cursed himself. Why did he always have something to whine about? It would be enough to put anyone off.

Snake smiled awkwardly. " I finished the mission ages ago. I just, er....had to go somewhere...." he said, trying to avoid the topic.

" Snake....Pockets..." Otacon commanded.

The mercenary slowly turned out his pockets, and out popped 4 packets of cigarettes. Hal gave Snake a reprimanding look, then held out his hand. The mercenary with only one weakness sighed and regrettfully handed the otaku the cigarettes.

Otacon stood up, walked over to the bin, and bent the packets as much as he could, then dropped them in.

Snake looked absolutely devastated. "Damn! I was hoping you wouldn't notice! " Snake cursed, frowning slightly.

" Ah, you know me Snake! I always notice these things! " Otacon replied, smiling.

Snake yawned pointedly, and stretched.

[ Damn, he looks good... All those muscles... ]

"You want to go to bed now? I'm a little tired." Snake dozily looked at him.

"HUH?",exclaimed Otacon, who had obviously come into that particular sentence at the wrong time.

" B.E.D." Snake spelled out, yawning yet again. "Oh. Yeah, sure. G'night, Snake. See you in the morning." Otacon replied, now realising what the mercenary had said.

As Snake walked in the dark to his room, he smiled a faraway smile...