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"…Boss! Boss!"
Venom Snake groggily awoke as the knocking on the door to his private quarters in the Command Platform ramped up in intensity. What the hell was all that ruckus? No matter, he wanted to go back to sleep… he hadn't slept so placidly in a long time.
The softness lying atop his chest stirred, and Quiet's eyes fluttered open. She blinked questioningly, as confused as Venom was on what interrupted their slumber.
"Boss, I'm coming in!" boomed the voice of Revolver Ocelot from the other side of the door, and Snake recognized soft clicks coming from the lock to his room.
"WAIT!" yelled Snake. "Wait. I…err…just woke up. Hold on. I'll open the door for you." He looked down at Quiet, who was ostensibly fully awake by now, and wordlessly mouthed at her. "Invisible. Now."
She gave him a nervous grin and vanished from sight. He adjusted his shirt as he walked to the door, released the lock, and swung the door inwards, meeting face to face with the Ocelot himself. "What is it?" Snake questioned his trusted officer.
Ocelot crossed his arms and tapped his foot, raising an eyebrow at Snake, yet grinning at the same time. "Boss, do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Not really."
"Half past noon, Boss."
Realization dawned upon Snake. Since he was usually up at the very early morning, his oversleeping probably alarmed the men, and Ocelot decided to check out if anything was wrong. "Oh. Uh. Sorry. Was just tired."
"Long night?" Ocelot grinned, as if trying to hold laughter back.
"Uhh…not…particularly?" For a moment, Snake could have sworn Ocelot's grin grew wider.
Shaking his head, Ocelot put a hand on Snake's shoulder. "Boss…I can tell you're not alone in here. No use in hiding it."
"What? Of course I'm alone. What'd make you say otherwise?" Snake responded nervously under Ocelot's inquisitive stare.
"Well, for starters, I'm pretty sure a mattress isn't supposed to warp like that when there's nobody on top of it," Ocelot stated guilelessly. Following his line of sight, Snake looked back at his bed, and true enough, there was a depression near the middle, as if someone was sitting on it (probably because there WAS someone sitting on it). Ocelot peeked over Snake's shoulder and raised a hand in greeting. "Hello, Quiet."
She came into view, sitting cross-legged on Snake's bed, and sheepishly waved at Ocelot, her face redder than any of the two men had ever seen it. Ocelot chuckled and brought his hands to his hips. "Can't say I didn't see it coming, just didn't expect it to be now. Her vocal cord parasites are no longer a danger, are they?"
Snake raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"
"Not the supervisor of your Intel Team for nothing, Boss. I noticed Quiet wasn't present on her cell at certain times, and that those times coincided with someone entering and exiting Code Talker's private laboratory. Didn't take a genius to start seeing a pattern there."
"Code Talker. Figured as much. If someone was capable of taking care of those parasites, it had to be him," Snake answered, his suspicions being all but confirmed.
Ocelot cocked his head to the side ever-so slightly. "Wait, so then, how did you know her parasites no longer presented a threat?" He rubbed his chin between two fingers. "Did Quiet tell you?"
"Not exactly...she's still not speaking," Snake admitted, shifting his gaze away from Ocelot.
"What?! Boss…you spent a whole night of passionate lovemaking with your little girlfriend here, and you weren't even positive she no longer had the parasites?!" Ocelot exclaimed, shocked at Venom Snake's recklessness. Behind them, Quiet's whole body posture became rigid and the butterfly-shaped blotches around her eyes materialized as her blush became an even deeper red. Snake's own face flushed with color as well at Ocelot's accusation.
"W-we haven't gotten that far yet! Besides, she might not have said to me in words, but she still let me know. I'm pretty good at understanding her, I'll have you know."
Ocelot let out a short sigh before playfully tapping Snake's shoulder with his closed fist. "If you say so, Boss," he replied with a grin. "You know, EVA sure had you figured out. I can see that now."
"EVA? What does she have to do with anything?" inquired Snake. Quiet perked up as she heard that name, unknown to her. An ex-girlfriend, perhaps?
"Oh, nothing..." Ocelot's expression suddenly became grim. "You know...you'll have to let Miller know about your little… escapades… with Quiet. He's going to find out eventually, and when he does, it's best he hears it straight from the horse's mouth. You know how 'fond' he is of her."
Snake sighed pensively. "I know. I need more time to think of a way to break it to him, though. I'm really not looking forward to that."
"Well, I have to get back to him now. Going to tell him you're taking a sabbatical, for once."
"Yeah, tell him I've been feeling a bit under the weather after the last mission, so I'm going to take it easy today," Snake added.
Ocelot turned to face the doorway. "You got it, Boss," he answered, taking a couple of steps forward before stopping and looking back at his commanding officer. "Oh, Snake, one more thing."
"What is it?"
"If you're going to step outside today, make sure to wear one of your scarves. Otherwise the men will get a good look of those hickeys all over your neck."
Oh.
So that's how he immediately knew Snake wasn't alone in the room.
"…Thanks," Snake answered sheepishly.
Ocelot closed the door behind him, and Snake turned the latch to lock it. He mumbled under his breath about getting a bolt installed when he felt something soft press against his back, accompanied by a pleasant, mildly sweet aroma. Arms wrapped around his neck as Quiet's weight clung to him. She placed a quick peck on his cheek from behind before burrowing her head into his shoulder.
Snake turned his head towards the woman and returned the favor with a kiss of his own, placing his lips gently on her temple. "You know, I should take time off more often. I could get used to this."
Quiet simply nodded absentmindedly before huddling closer to Snake, humming all the while.
It wasn't long before Snake and Quiet realized they needed to step out of his room and seek sustenance, especially since the sniper needed some sun while daylight hours still remained. She exited the room first, invisible to the naked eye and silently made her way out of the building, while Snake donned his olive drab fatigues and threw on a scarf, as suggested by Ocelot earlier. Figuring he should stop over by the Mess Hall and pick a bite to eat himself, he headed in that direction, and eventually stepped into the eatery, which was mostly empty by now. The few occupants that remained here and there saluted when they got notice of their commander's presence, and with a swift flick of the arm, Snake gestured to them to be at ease.
He headed for the vacant tray line and was greeted by a face all too familiar to the Diamond Dogs that appreciated a good meal: Silent Basilisk, mute ex-Mujahideen, friendly old man, and damn fine cook. The afghan's expression lit up as Snake got closer, and he waved at the leader of the Diamond Dogs.
"Hey, Basilisk," Snake responded to the man's salutations. "Got anything I can eat on the go? I want to meet up with someone."
Basilisk grinned before crouching down beneath the counter and procuring a plastic container. The lid had "for the Boss" written in black marker on it, and the recruit happily presented it to the man in question. Venom Snake lifted the cover and inspected the contents, as his lips curled upwards in delight.
"Right. Today's Taco Tuesday… Nice," Snake said, as Silent Basilisk gave him a thumbs-up followed by a salute. Snake returned the salute before speaking once more: "Thanks for saving these for me, Basilisk. I'm glad you're enjoying your post."
With food now in hand, Snake started to seek out his true objective: Code Talker. He wandered around the Command Platform aimlessly for a few minutes, eating as he walked, until he found a soldier who told him he had seen Code Talker on the 3rd deck. Snake made his way there, and sitting in his wheelchair was the elderly researcher, sitting down and gazing out at sea.
"Big Boss," Code Talker spoke as Snake walked towards him, fully aware of his presence.
"Thank you," Snake blurted out immediately. "For helping Quiet."
"I was expecting that to be your motivation for seeking me out," Code Talker started. "It was no problem. I am glad I could help her."
"Was it the Wolbachia?" Snake inquired. If that was the case, then why...
As if reading his thoughts, Code Talker responded. "Yes, and she asked me to say something to you in her behalf."
"You spoke with her?"
"Yes. She can speak the Navajo language, the only language which the parasites cannot target. That's how she and I communicated during the treatment."
"Hm. Let's hear what you have to say, Code Talker."
"It is quite simple, really. She just wanted you to know that despite being able to speak now, she would abstain herself from doing so," Code Talker delivered.
"What? Why?" Snake was perplexed. What reason could she have to remain silent now that she was free of the constraints of the parasites?
"She did not say," the elderly man replied, "but I do have a theory."
"Let's hear it."
"It is quite simple," Code Talker started. "When she came to this place, she was 'Quiet', the wordless sniper. Here, she started anew from her previous life, whatever that was. If she were to speak again…"
"…Her past might catch up with her?" Snake finished.
"…or she might think she could lose what she has here now. I cannot presume to know what she is thinking. That, however, is the most reasonable deduction I can offer you," the wise elder closed his eyes pensively.
"You mentioned Navajo," Snake began while rubbing his chin with his prosthetic hand. "What if I learned to speak the language?"
"Even if you managed to master the language, she also made it clear she would no longer be speaking in Navajo, either."
"So much for that, then… I guess I'll have to let her know you delivered the message, then. Thanks again, Code Talker," Snake gazed into the container he was still carrying. "Say…want a taco?"
Code Talker shook his head. "Thank you, but I just ate."
"How come?"
The elderly man chuckled as he began to work the hand rim of his wheelchair, rolling away slowly. "Remember what I told you before: eyes on Kazuhira."
As Code Talker wheeled away, Snake could only wonder what he meant by that.
Quiet hadn't been to the Mess Hall before, thanks in no small part thanks to her unique physiology, but she had decided to roam the hallways within the Command Platform's buildings while invisible and stumbled upon it by chance. She was simply killing time; since she was going to spend the night within Snake's room tonight as well, there was no real reason for her to go back to her cell in the Medical Platform.
The hustle and bustle of the dinner rush was palpable in the air, and Quiet was careful not to bump into anybody while she surveyed her surroundings. Soon, however, something caught her eye – a refrigerator with a transparent door, and housed within it, an array of appetizing desserts.
Quiet's mouth watered while pangs of nostalgia hit her like a truck. Once upon another life, she had a notorious sweet tooth – the one carefree indulgence she partook in between missions for XOF.
However, that was not her any more. She was no longer an XOF assassin (and all the happier for it), and she no longer could enjoy scrumptious desserts (admittedly, the one aspect of her new life she would gladly change). Scanning the contents on the racks, she saw flan, chocolate cake, and…ohh, strawberry cheesecake! Her favorite! Or at least, what used to be her favorite.
The Diamond Dogs sure were treated nicely, at least when food was concerned…it made Quiet all the more wistful.
Machinations began to take life within Quiet's mind as she eyeballed the slice of strawberry cheesecake within its transparent plastic container. Smiling to herself, and cautious not to let a giggle escape her as she did, she opened the door and took hold of the confection, feeling the intense cold against her arm. As dinnertime had just recently begun, nobody minded the desserts, leaving her prized target ripe for the taking.
All that she had to do now was exit the Mess Hall without anybody noticing any mysterious floating pastries, and that she did, moving in ways that would make Snake proud. She had already been good at stealth infiltration, but watching Big Boss work as she provided support had taught her a thing or two, sharpening her skills even further.
She stole a plastic spoon from the utensils rack on her way out and made her way back to Snake's room.
It wasn't long after Quiet's return that Snake arrived back at his quarters. Once the door swung open, Snake was greeted with the rare sight of his sniper grinning ear to ear, cheerfully bouncing on the balls of her feet with her arms crossed behind her back.
"You look happy," Snake acknowledged dumbly.
Quiet softly giggled and brought her arms in front of her. On her hands, she held a plastic container holding what Snake could identify as a cake of some kind. She popped the lid open to the side, and gestured at him towards the bed with her thumb.
"You want me to take a seat?" she nodded slightly. Snake saw no reason not to comply and did as she asked, and Quiet joined him seconds later, sitting close enough for their thighs to press against one another.
Quiet held a spoonful of cheesecake near Snake's mouth and opened her own in mimicry.
"So…you want to feed it to me or something, huh? Well, why not." His lips parted and he received the spoonful.
"…That's good. I'd never had some of these."
The first serving became a second, followed by a third, accompanied by a fourth…before long, the dessert was no more. Snake had never been one for sweets, but he had to admit: that was pretty good. Smiling at her, he spoke up to express his gratitude. "That was great. I'll have to have some more sometime. Thanks, Qui-"
He didn't notice the predatory glance in Quiet's eyes in time, and before he could even make out what was going on, she had already pounced on top of him, locking her lips onto his with unparalleled intensity. Her tongue snaked her way into his mouth, exploring every nook and cranny as her hands caressed his cheeks.
As Quiet indulged in the taste, the legendary mercenary was absolutely defenseless against the onslaught. She had thoroughly disarmed him with that surprise attack, and he neither had the will nor the way to counter. His right hand, lying slack a couple of inches above his head, was wrapped around by her left, which she moved over from his face as the affectionate assault persisted unrelenting.
All good things must come to an end, however, and Quiet broke the kiss, albeit reluctantly. After all, unlike her, Snake couldn't breathe while they were connected like that. She licked her lips, enjoying the lingering flavor of strawberry, and snickered at how flustered Snake's skin became.
"Had that not been so amazing," Snake mouthed off in a daze, "I would actually be mad right about now."
She grinned and pressed her head to his chest, closing her eyes and focusing on his heartbeat. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. It was beating quite fast. As inexperienced as she was with relationships, maybe Snake was even less savvy than her, if that was at all possible.
They remained like that for a while, enjoying the silence and each other's company. Quiet hummed gently as Snake hand rested against the back of her head. Naturally, when the time to break the silence came, it was Snake who did so:
"You know, Code Talker delivered your message earlier."
Quiet turned her head upright, and gazed attentively at his features, a mix of worry and guilt reflected in her eyes.
"…I understand you've got your reasons. I hope to hear you speak sometime, though. I'm looking forward to it."
Any anguish in Quiet's orbs vanished, and instead a faint flush washed over her cheeks. She gave him a gentle smile, slid off his chest, opened a nearby drawer and rummaged through its contents. Snake followed her movement with his eye, curious as to what she was planning. She had seen it around here earlier…aha! Producing a yellow notepad from within alongside a pencil, she quickly scribbled on it, and presented it to Snake.
"You'll be the first to hear it. But I'm not ready yet," it read. Snake took a moment to study the writing, dumbstruck. Regaining his composure a moment later, he exhaled and gave her a smile.
"So writing's okay now, huh?"
Once again, the pencil held in her hand danced across the page, and another note followed suit.
"Just for you, though!"
Snake chuckled. "I feel special."
Jotting down one last note, Quiet ripped out the page and softly slapped it against his chest before driving Snake into yet another deep kiss. The note read two simple words:
"You are."
Butterfly Effect / Chapter 2 [Chain Reaction]
Kazuhira Miller strode gingerly into the deserted Mess Hall, or at least as gingerly as a man on a crutch and with a prosthetic leg could, late that night. Today had certainly been eventful: it wasn't every day that Big Boss sleeps in, gives them a good scare, and ends up taking a day off. The management of Mother Base operations was everyday stuff, but he had finally managed to present Code Talker with a burger the old-timer fully enjoyed. His Chem-Burger was going to be revolutionary; usher forth a brand new era of foodstuff.
It was time to give himself a pat on the back for a job well done. He had been saving just the thing. He had instructed the soldiers not to touch his delicatessen, which he had been saving for an occasion such as this.
The goofy smile which was so rare on Kaz's face these days fell flat as he reached the desserts refrigerator and his objective was nowhere to be found.
Gnashing his teeth in anger, he let out a howl that could wake the dead.
"WHO THE HELL TOOK MY CHEESECAKE?!"
