It first happened in 2006.
It had been a little over a year since Otacon had been rescued by Snake, and they had been hard at work building up Philanthropy. They had no reliable leads so far, so most of their days had been routine and monotonous. For Otacon, it was wake up, make breakfast, check with his sources, read through and compile information from hundreds of files, watch anime on his second monitor, discuss what information he found with Snake, and then watch television with Snake until bedtime. For Snake, it was wake up, workout, eat breakfast with Otacon, workout again, discuss the gathered information with Otacon, and then watch television with him until bedtime.
But one evening, a strange moment broke through the monotony. Snake had gone out to pick up some groceries, and Otacon used that as an excuse to watch anime without his headphones. He thought for a moment which one, and then he realized that he had a perfect opportunity to watch one his favorite shounen-ai animes. He didn't really watch the super erotic kind, but he was still too embarrassed to watch any of it with Snake in the house. He was afraid it would creep Snake out. He pulled a good one out of his anime folder and let it play, sitting back. He watched for a while when he realized he had gotten to a particularly steamy moment in an episode. It was the episode where the main character's love interest would confess that he had actually developed feelings for him. Otacon paused it and called out for Snake, just to make sure he wasn't in the house. There was no answer, so Otacon continued to play it.
Makoto-kun…
S-senpai?
You must understand, this is a difficult thing for me to say.
Y-you can take your time…
Makoto, I have noticed you since first year.
Well, we have had every class together since then…
Yes, we have. And honestly, I've always found you attractive.
Oh? R-really?
Yes, Makoto. You're a very handsome boy.
Thank you, Daisuke-senpai…
Please, just call me Daisuke, Makoto.
Daisuke…
Makoto, what I'm really trying to say is…
Yes?
I'm in love with you.
L-l-love?! W-with me?!
Yes Makoto. I have been since we spent that night at the beach last summer. Ever since then, I can't imagine my life without you. I have to be with you, Makoto. I have to have you.
D-daisuke… I-I feel the same way…
Ohh, you're so cute when you stutter, Makoto.
The two characters began to kiss, and Otacon sighed, resting his face on his hand.
"I sure wish high school had been this blissfully romantic for me," he muttered, sighing again.
"Whatcha watching, Otacon?" Snake said from behind. Otacon screamed and, panicking, immediately closed the anime. Snake began to laugh.
"I didn't know you watched anime porn," he said. Otacon scrambled to pick up his glasses, which had fallen.
"It wasn't porn, Snake! It was shounen-ai, which is just innocent romance between two boys!" he yelled.
"Oh relax, relax, I'm just kidding with you," Snake said, patting him on the back.
"Well it wasn't funny, Snake," he said, blushing.
"Hey, I'm sorry. I don't really know why you're so embarrassed about it though, it's just a show," Snake replied. Otacon cleared his throat.
"I don't know, I just thought this sort of thing would make you uncomfortable, so I never watched it when you were in the house," he muttered. Snake threw his hands up and shrugged.
"I don't care who kisses who. To each their own," he said. Otacon sighed.
"Well, alright then. Just don't scare me like that again!" he said.
"Otacon, are you okay?" Snake asked. Otacon was clearly very flustered, and his light blush had turned into a very deep red.
"I'm fine, I just don't like to be scared like that," he said, crossing his arms. Snake shrugged.
"Alright, I'm sorry," he said. Otacon shook his head.
"Oh, it's fine, I'm already over it," he replied.
"Alright then. So, did you find anything good leads today?" he asked, changing the subject.
Later that evening, the two were watching a mildly entertaining sitcom on the TV, as they always did. A boring commercial was playing when Snake turned down the volume.
"Otacon, I gotta ask," he said, turning towards him, "When you said you wish high school had been as romantic as that show, did you mean… you wish you had had a boyfriend?" Otacon sighed loudly.
"Ahh, well, I didn't really know if I was attracted to boys or girls, and to be honest, I still don't really know. I mean, women are beautiful, and I like them as much as any other guy, but men can be just as attractive. I've yet to really find a man that I've been attracted to enough to want to date them, though. I don't know…" he said, trailing off. Snake chuckled.
"I can understand that. I'm about the same way," he replied, putting his hands behind his head.
"Wait, so you don't know if you're attracted to men or women?" Otacon asked, surprised.
"Nope," Snake replied, "I just don't care."
They then watched TV in silence as Otacon turned the conversation over in his mind. He didn't realize Snake was so casual about sexuality, and he wondered what implications that held for the both of them. They had, essentially, declared that they were both open to dating men, and well, they were both men. Otacon wondered if this is what living with a girl who wasn't your girlfriend was like. But then again, he didn't have anything that remotely resembled a crush on Snake, and he knew there was no way Snake had a crush on him. Nobody had ever had a crush on Hal Emmerich.
