The Brightest Lights In the Darkest Skies

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!


Dim

The hustle and bustle of the café started to annoy Snake since he wasn't in the most light of moods. As he waited for Mei Ling's arrival the staff kept prodding him with questions like weather or not he'd like a nice cup of coffee or a pastry even after he insisted he wanted nothing. He was starting to get a little antsy, even about to leave the scene until he saw the girl he was waiting for among the crowd, dressed in tight pants and a flowery blouse. People looked on at her as she made her way to the seat across from him, probably wondering if he was her significant other and why he was so much older than her.

"Sorry I'm late, the bus was not on time and I couldn't afford the taxi," Mei Ling stated as she looked through bag counting her change. The waiter approached her like a bee to a flower to which she responded to them briskly, "I'll have a Danish pastry please."

Snake shifted in his seat slightly, slumping down in a relaxing manner trying to fit the aura of the café as best as he could but he always felt somewhat of an outcast even if the people around thought of him as just some other ordinary civilian.

"So how are you lately? How is that one girl you were with? How is the colonel?" Mei Ling spat loudly forgetting to keep her voice down because of her happy anxiousness.

Snake sighed and responded pensively, "I'm having trouble connecting with things, I've left Meryl behind and the colonel is as humble yet contemplative as always."

Mei Ling blinked being bowled over at his words. She wasn't expecting such a one sentenced answer to the questions but it was him after all, he didn't like talking about his personal life too much, she noticed it made him slightly jumpy maybe even a bit humiliated, but yet he prattled on so much when he was on that mission.

Keeping his voice down he started to tell what Campbell was issued to give out to him. He felt a little tense saying it in such a crowd but as long as he kept it simple there would be no problems.

"Hmm…this doesn't sound quite right with me, it isn't like she is armed and dangerous." The girl almost stuttered out as she bit into her pastry.

"Well, the whole deal about it is fishy, that's why I'm not going along with it for now, I need some way of meeting her and seeing her side of the story."

"And by saying that you mean sneaking into her home and scaring her half to death."

Snake couldn't help but smirk at her remark, "Nah, I'll find other ways, perhaps I'll stalk on her as she leaves the apartment and meet up with her wherever she is headed."

"If you can get to the bottom of this I would love to help you in any form and way, I can uncover the secret documents for this assignment on my computer's database, although I am not the best of hackers."

"I don't want to put this on anyone, there is no need to discover it."

Mei Ling bit her lip, she was sure worried about him, even if he seemed so cool and collected on the matter, it wasn't right for him to enter back in so smooth sailing. She had a feeling he was being set up, but as much as he said he hated playing the hero, there he was again always at it.

"I really don't want to take up too much of your time so I'll be on my way, and I'm going to look into those files for you, you can't stop me on that! I have my ways of figuring it out."

He rubbed the back of his neck as he aimlessly looked at the café's hanging logo, "yeah well, it's the safest thing to do but as much as I don't like to admit it, I appreciate the help."

The girl stood from her seat taking hold of her used napkin, dabbing it on her lips. "If I can't get in easily, I'll always give Otacon a call."

"I...didn't know you knew him that well."

"I met him after the colonel took him off the base, weird guy but he was easily approachable and I'm sure he'd be able to help you after you helped him!" she chirped as she grabbed her purse looking for the nearest bus stop, "Goodbye for now, I'll contact you as soon as I find any dirt!" before he could even get a word in she was fast pacing her way through the crowd, he didn't even get to say how nice she looked.


Naomi was tidying up her small apartment as she checked on the television once in awhile, paying more attention to the news now than ever. She was very paranoid and even stressed if some headline came in on a running convict involved on a secret mission, her. Especially since she was in such a tight locked facility, she had her reasons for thinking such and kept her eyes glued on CNN whenever the hot topics came on.

'There is always the possibility not a mention of it would show up…I did escape very thoroughly with an expert after all...' she thought to herself as she dusted the TV set and rearranged some of the books on the bookcase next to it. Her living a normal life was pretty tough especially since she was all alone with no family, how she dreamed of being able to wake up early and go back to the lab, her one true passion in life was science and without it she felt like an abandoned housewife doing daily chores all for herself and basking in cakes and ice crème late at night watching movies and random television programs. To say the least, she was in a deep state of dejection.

She felt so secluded ever since she escaped from that prison. She felt like it sucked the life right out of her, although of course she did prefer the tiny area of the apartment over the cold and dank floors of the dimly lidded prison.


Snake's boots crushed under the falling leaves as he walked through the tiny neighborhood where Naomi was residing. He was dressed pretty normal, in a leather jacket and nicely cut jeans but he thought to himself maybe he looked a little too crisp and well made up for such a small place. As he slowly paced to her apartment he could only think of one thing, how he was going to approach her. It's not like he could just infiltrate her location like a nuclear base and the scare the wits out of her, but he didn't like feeling like a stalker either.

He soon thought of maybe slipping an anonymous note through her door for a meeting spot. Sure it sounded kind of like a desperate old lover but how else would he get her attention without the attention of others. He knew his life was sort of riding on the whole idea of this and he couldn't wait to get himself out of it and leave the business for good. But even so, the thought of it kind of troubled him. Once he was done he had not much to get back to, just his home and his dogs and then what?

He didn't even have her to go back to now, he screwed that up pretty bad and didn't feel the need to go back to it, much to his dismay. He couldn't help but hold onto these memories however, those feelings that made him alive in such a different way other than the killing and the smell of burning and wretchedness called his "life". If he had another chance at it, he felt maybe he could make things different even if it was ancient history.

He felt smaller hands cover his eyes and a crisp young but somewhat husky voice speak out to him, "surprise!"

He ran his fingers up the familiar arm before clutching both of those soft arms and holding onto them wistfully "I wonder who it could be..." he said chidingly.

"I don't knooow why don't you try to guess."

Feeling up and around the shoulders he could sense the smell of freshness and a faint hint of cinnamon, probably been up to some cooking again. The smaller body leaned up more against the back of him as he felt the heat slightly edge him on more.

"Since I have no idea who this person is, I think I might as well just leave this seat and ignore the banter," he stated very casually as he was about to pry off the hands from his eyes. Before he could however, the hands moved away on their own and he heard the fabric of the couch rustle, soon before he knew it a soft plat noise took place and there was a body perched neatly on his lap.

"Hey there…" the owner of the voice purred as lips started to tickle his chin and jaw line.

He couldn't help but sneak one his hands up into that messy red hair and bring his lips to that delicate and pale neck. "I still don't know who this stranger could be," he joked as his chuckle hit against her neck in vibration.

The young woman held his body closer to her as she sighed, "sometimes I still feel like a stranger to you in truth," she half joked back at him, feeling the lines in his back through his shirt.

He glanced up at her, his lips still pressed upon her neck, "just breathe me in and know that I'm here. Although I can be distant at times I never thought of you as an unfamiliar person. You're you, and that is what I respect the most."

She leaned back in surprise looking at him through confused brows, "what is this all of a sudden? Going back to that sappy talk when we were on the snowmobile ride…"

"Hey there are times I feel the need to let out some form of sentiment you know," he chuckled again as she tapped his nose with her finger lightly.

"Well then, that does definitely make me feel more welcome. I've made some cinnamon toast you know," she added coyly.

"Yeah, and?"

"Was hoping you'd try it out and acknowledge my cooking skills."

"Cinnamon toast is hardly cooking skill worthy." He responded as his coarse hands rubbed up and down her sides.

"I was hoping for some kind of compliment especially for the meal to come afterwards…"

"Dessert before the meal, huh?"

"Well you see, the meal I had in mind is quite the workout."

He raised his eyebrows at her playfully before lifting her off himself and carrying her into the kitchen as she giggled like some bashful school girl.

He stared at the tree, which was soon to be turning a yellow orange color just in time for the fall season. Snake sighed audibly as he motioned his way down the sidewalk, at least he had those memories to look back on and remind himself how human he truly was and can be.


Next chapter is when they will both finally cross paths. It has been going a bit slow but this is the perfect pacing I had in mind, can't wait to get to that point!