Title: Like a Good Soldier Should
Fandom: Metal Gear Solid
Pairing: Big Boss x Solid Snake
Theme Set: Gamma
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Metal Gear Solid series.
#02—Hero
G.I. Joe officially stopped being Solid Snake's greatest hero when he met Big Boss.
#46—Gravity
When Solid Snake was but a naive cadet and was inclined to hero worship; he was so impressed by Big Boss that he honestly thought if the man could overthrow Newton's Law of Gravity, he could do so.
#33—World
"You're so powerful you could rule the world, sir!" Solid Snake bursts out enthusiastically in his first weeks at the training facility and Big Boss responds with a cagey expression.
#23—Fire
Big Boss knows Solid Snake needs to be tempered like a fine blade through the fires of battle and the fires of passion to truly be worth anything because the boy was just too damned...good-hearted.
#01—Ring
The bullet exited its ring of death only to hit the exact center of the target and Solid Snake is stunned at the sudden heavy hand that claps down on his shoulder, "Fine job, private," Big Boss compliments as the tobacco-scented breath enters his nostrils; threatening to steal away the younger man's breath.
#04—Box
"Boxes are important for…camouflage, isn't that right, sir?" Solid Snake dares to raise the question to stop Big Boss from heaving an empty carton into the pit for burning as to which Big Boss replies with a sheepish smile, "Yes. Boxes are extremely useful. How silly of me to forget…"
#14—Music
For a man of war, Solid Snake is surprised to find that Big Boss has exceptional taste in music that includes jazz composers and classical greats—never any of that "horrendous" 80s glam metal.
#05—Run
Solid Snake's legs don't move when the older gray-haired man leans in with a dazed, drunken, lecherous look in his eye; he's obedient like a good soldier should be (mostly because he doesn't know any better.)
#21—Silence
Silence is acquiesce Big Boss surmises as Solid Snake nearly oozes into a puddle of goo when he first touches the quiet soldier in training.
#15—Silk
The army green silk tie feels like liquid water when the knot slips away in David's eager hands.
#47—Highway
Everything was starting to happen so fucking fast…like inebriated drivers speeding down the highway, but Snake knows he can't stop his commander's advances nor does he want to besides no one could deny Big Boss and live to tell of it.
#41—Wait
It never occurs to Solid Snake to say either the words, "Wait," or "Stop," when Big Boss' hands start to peruse the lad's body, and he can only admire such an unwavering loyalty; he possessed that same quality as well right up until his own government's betrayal all those years ago.
#17—Promise
Solid Snake hops off the huge desk gaze averted from the hot liquid mess he had left behind when Big Boss grabs his chin and looks directly in his eyes, "If you don't promise to keep this a secret, your ass is grass."
#08—Cold
When those cold ice cubes clink in the glass and he closes the office door behind him, Solid Snake knows to let his commander be.
#11—Midnight
Sometimes, around the fantastical time of midnight when the stars shine bright, Solid Snake wonders why exactly people hurt each other on the battlefield over and over again and why the always solitary Big Boss lives for it; then the reality of morning comes and all childish fantasies are swept away by cold metal.
#25—Mask
Solid Snake feels extremely fortunate to meet the actual man behind the mask known as Big Boss; he had no idea his real name was something so simple as "John."
#06—Hurricane
The hurricane that so fiercely springs up outside threatens to destroy the entire camp, but luckily, Solid Snake has the most secure shelter anywhere—under Big Boss.
#13—View
They're so high up in the baby blue sky in the helicopter that Solid Snake comments that "It looks like heaven," until Big Boss jerks him back to task at hand with the words, "The view may be near heaven, but we're no angels."
#09—Red
When Solid Snake makes his first kill and sees the red shoot out of the enemy's neck; he vomits right in front of Big Boss whereupon the older man congratulates him for his bravery, except David (his real name) doesn't see the glory to be had.
#16—Cover
"Faster, private. Don't let them catch you until you're dead," Big Boss whispers in Solid Snake's ear as they both flee from the enemy under the cover of night.
#10—Drink
The night he becomes a murderer, Big Boss lets Solid Snake drink with him and he is ashamed how his hand trembles—shot glass and all—until his superior nearly croons that "You'll get used to it."
#26—Ice
Snake soon learned that when Big Boss meant "Stay frozen," he really meant stay frozen as he'd stayed hidden in the trees spying on the enemy so long there were actual icicles hanging from his beard.
#49—Lock
"I'm locked out, sir, and I don't have the key," Solid Snake is almost ashamed about such an elementary mistake but embarrassment turns into dismay when the older man responds, "So? Knock the damned door down. Never accept any obstacle."
#07—Wings
"Wings of a phoenix," Big Boss tells him one day to Solid Snake's utter confusion, "be like the phoenix, private, ever rising and ever victorious."
#28—Forgotten
"Who's this, sir?" Snake points to an old black and white photograph of a very pretty blonde woman in army fatigues (that had been conspicuously scant around the chest to show off her assets) he happened to find in a box of mementoes that he had been ordered to throw away when he suddenly finds the picture snatched from his hands by an irritated Big Boss who replies, "Someone who should be forgotten," though Snake notices he keeps it.
#38—Forever
"It won't be like this forever. Nothing good lasts," Big Boss cautioned after he noticed Snake's dreamy look when he beckons him over to where he sits as he draws the curtains closed from prying eyes.
#42—Talk
Big Boss never talked unnecessarily; each word was precise and perfectly placed, so there would be no dirty talking or tomfoolery of any kind—just sex.
#37—Lies
To Big Boss, the lies were just as satisfying as the taste of the tobacco that often tainted his mouth, especially when he told the boy he cared for him…once and only once.
#35—Fever
The jungle fever rages through Solid Snake's bloodstream and Big Boss is beside himself when he bellows, "Pull through it, damn it! I need you!" and Snake is mercifully unconscious with a smile on his face when Big Boss adds thoughtfully, "Or do I?"
#45—Eclipse
Their facial features eclipse each other so much, Solid Snake wonders if it's more than mere coincidence.
#18—Dream
Big Boss was oddly pleased when Snake told him he'd stopped dreaming as his exact words were, "Dreams are for the weak."
#34—Formal
"When did you realize you were interested in men, sir?" Snake asks bluntly; a question to which Big Boss smirks at, "Still so formal and yet so honest. You're…refreshing, David."
#36—Laugh
The rumble that emanates from Big Boss' throat is harsh and unforgiving, and Solid Snake expresses concern at first that his commander is having a fit of some sort until he realizes it's simply the sound of Big Boss laughing.
#20—Talent
Big Boss possessed the odd talent of telling Snake precisely what he wanted to hear without telling him anything at all without never breaking that fatherly façade—it would be merciful that way in the end.
#19—Candle
The older man's smile widens as he lifts the burning candle over Solid Snake's bare chest; love didn't have to make a soldier soft.
#12—Temptation
If power was one of man's greatest temptations, Big Boss would be smoking cigars in hell, and Solid Snake must ponder if he wants to walk a path of ash and soot because his greatest temptation was Big Boss.
#31—Sacred
"Cleanliness is a sacred virtue, private," Big Boss murmurs as he runs the bar of soap along Snake's bare shoulder blades.
#22—Journey
When Solid Snake departs for his big mission in South Africa, Big Boss tells him cryptically, "You never know what or who you might discover along the journey…"
#50—Breathe
As Solid Snake struggles for air when he surfaces from the moat outside the enemy camp; his transceiver starts to blare and the first words he hears is, "THIS IS BIG BOSS…OPERATION INTRUDE N313…"
#39—Overwhelmed
Big Boss bares his teeth in annoyance as he hears the transceiver go off again; he'd expected Solid Snake to be overwhelmed by his enemies—to be dead by now as planned—but no, he had to be a superior soldier like him in every way.
#27—Fall
Solid Snake nearly falls to his knees in brain-numbing shock when he realizes just who the enemy of Outer Heaven is.
#24—Strength
It takes pure strength of will for Snake to tear himself away from his fallen commander all the while realizing Outer Heaven was set to detonate at any minute.
#03—Memory
Memories about Big Boss were faulty at best, so after his betrayal at Outer Heaven; Solid Snake resolved not to think about the man-god too much.
#29—Dance
Big Boss approaches Snake in his new body—his stronger body—and thinks with sickening glee that there's no way this brat can change the rhythm of the dance now.
#43—Search
Snake searches Big Boss' eyes one last time for any sort of human emotion before he lights the can of aerosol and allows the flames to do their job—killing his ex-commander.
#32—Farewells
Big Boss expected to bid adieu to Solid Snake as he lay dying…not the other way around.
#30—Body
It made Solid Snake leery some nights that there was never officially a body of Big Boss to be found anywhere.
#48—Unknown
When Solid Snake discovers the truth about his family tree, he wishes his father would have remained 'unknown.'
#40—Whisper
"This is good…isn't it, Snake?" Big Boss wheezes in a near whisper while slumped against the tombstone as the cigarette falls from his lips—his last words.
#44—Peace
After Big Boss' true death, all Snake can do is hope that he has finally found peace no matter how improbable it is.