A/N: Sorry this took a while. Life happens.
Do enjoy, and please review.
Also, thankfully this chapter is a short one.
Chapter 7: A Caterpillar Hatches
2 days later…
Medical Platform 1, Mother Base, Seychelles Waters
1700 hours
Venom bopped his head to the tune of the music as he had the Walkman in his pocket and his headphones on his ear. He put a pep in his step and starting dancing along the path to the door to Code Talker's lab.
"People always told me be careful of what you do, and don't go around breaking young girls' hearts. And mother always told me be careful of who you love. And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth!"
When the chorus came kicking in, he moonwalked into the door, slamming the button and sliding through the opening door in one solid, smooth motion. Spinning around on his boots, he froze as he noticed some of his Dogs saw it and began cackling. He paused his music and cleared his throat, his serious face returning.
"You saw nothing."
"Sure, whatever you say, Boss.", the female teased as she turned to begin working on the antidote once more. He also heard what sounded like snorting, facing the source of it and discovering it was Quiet, who's bed was now positioned to sit up more.
She was definitely a lot more lively than yesterday. Her skin color was returning, and those bags even seemed to disappear. She was as beautiful as he remembered her, back before it all happened.
"Jesus…it's a miracle. Code Talker…how in the world?", Boss moved his head towards the wheelchair-stricken old man.
"We started Wolbachia treatment yesterday. The combination of the tonics really worked wonders with her as well.", he spoke lightly as he inspected the Wolbachia in the test tube, placing it in the circular hole of the holder and rotating towards the other man.
"Has she started taking them in her skin again?", Boss pointed a thumb towards her as she tried to stop her slightly strained giggling.
Code Talker nodded, and held up a finger just as Boss's face lightened. "However, she is not rid of the vocal parasite yet. We have confirmed that most of those mutated ones that cover are gone. The English strain is under control for now, but soon enough she will begin coughing again. So don't expect her to be speaking fully yet."
He nodded once, looking to her then back to him. "You think she'll need speech therapy afterwards?"
The Navajo pleasantly shook his head. "Not really. She just needs those vocal chords of hers to heal with the help of the one that covers. It shouldn't take more than a day for that."
Boss was so relieved to hear that, acknowledging it with a saluting signal with his two forefingers, he moved on over to the beaming Quiet who viewed him with bright eyes. The closer he stepped, the more thrilled she became. For once, after having nearly two to three days of shut eyelids, it was so appeasing to finally see his face again.
As soon as he was close enough, she trapped him in an extremely tight hug, which the man returned. Seconds later, she flinched back out of the embrace into the cushion of the mattress and her cheeks were slightly pink. The sniper's eyes darted to the floor opposite of her.
"It's fine. I appreciated it actually."
Now her face got a little redder, and in turn found it harder to even face the man. But she managed as she gradually fixated onto the male in front of her. The timid, tucked lips formed a small but amazing smile.
"So you're only a day or two away from being fully recovered. You excited?", he made a grin at the woman.
She nodded multiple times in quick succession, her face molding into an "Oh!" expression after that. Rotating towards the table on the opposite end, she picked up what was a large notebook and flipped a couple pages up and stopping. With a swift notion, she ripped the page off its coiled spine and folded it in half vertical wise, before handing it over to Snake.
With the paper between his fingers, he moved his arms back and folded it open to see a nice sketch of a butterfly resting on a snake's head on the left side of it. He chuckled at this, looking up from the makeshift card to her. "Nice picture. Must've taken a while huh?"
The only reply he got was a meek nod and a tapping of the card, insisting he continue to read it. "Alright, alright."
Moving over to the right, he noticed multiple paragraphs' worth of beautiful cursive writing. He whistled as he began to read it.
Dear Boss,
I cannot thank you enough. I have nothing but gratitude to express for you and how much effort you put into fighting for me. That tank thing was pretty dumb of you. But I know why you did it. You wanted to protect me. Like you always had from the start.
Back in that house on the night you saved me…I'm sorry for how I acted. I was too focused on running away. I cared so much for your army that after that second outbreak, I thought I would worsen it, even if I refused to speak the language the parasites were meant for. After all you showed me in our days in the field, when I first arrived here, and even when we fought in those ruins, I admired you so much.
I was trying to kill you. Even after I arrived on your base, I still thought of killing you. I wanted to gain your trust so that way I could finish my job. But you…you ruined it all. You changed me in a way I didn't know was possible. It was all you.
I remember when I wasn't so close, but yet not so far from you I hated myself for giving in to your "wiles". I let myself get caught in the trap, and I don't why I think you're good in any way, shape or form. That's what I told myself at least. Deep down I knew something was brewing that my old self wouldn't like…but then my hatred and revenge transferred from you to Skull Face.
I realized something. You were a better leader than Skull Face ever was. Sure, he was brutal and efficient. But the way he acted was not human. More like a machine. He had no empathy, no understanding. But you…you had all these things. Above all, you treated me like an equal. Not an underling who receives orders. When you first asked me my thoughts on the plan you shared I was stunned to say the least.
Now that I think about it, that was one of the things that made me fall for you. And the more time we spent, the deeper I fell into that rut known as love. Pretty soon enough, I valued you and your army above all else. The army was like my family. That's why I went after that child's charm in the hazardous gassed underground. Because I knew you wanted to get that necklace for the kids. I did it for you.
I soon knew all of those things to be true. Soon enough, I had an epiphany about what happened recently too. That rage and grief I caused you in the ruins…I'm sorry about that. I know we already let it go like water under the bridge, but I felt you should know.
I guess all that time spent running hazed my mind to you. That's why that outed confession you blurted at me surprised me. It's why I felt…odd, when you were pleading for me to come back.
I suppose it was seeing the Legend himself on his knees, begging that shocked me most. But looking back on it now, I know it was cause you loved me. I soon came back for that same reason.
The time when I will speak again with no threat is something I long for. So I can speak to you with words, not letters.
-Q
Boss finished processing the words as he geared his head up steadily at her from the card. He noticed how nervous she was, gripping the bed and biting on her lip. They were common in that regard. Neither of them liked to open up that much. Boss reached over and gently landed his hand on top of hers, moving his fingers to lightly stroke her knuckles.
"Hey. It's alright. Don't stress yourself out too much. You'll hurt yourself.", he consoled her as he continually petted her knuckles. Soon enough, her hands eased into a relaxed position, as with the rest of her body.
She then slid her fingers in between Boss's, intertwining their hands. "We haven't had this kinda moment since the rainy day, huh?", he whispered to her.
Ah, the memories that flooded in at that. It was such a nice day. Too bad it all had to end soon. Quiet wrote on the pad and showed it to Boss. Yea. I miss that.
There was nothing but silence between the two as their eyes mingled around until they connected, the two staring deep into the pools of their colored hues. "Y'know…the entire base kinda knows about us now."
Another scratch of pencil as he gaze averted to the pad. Who cares?
Boss let out a single snicker. "Right."
Quiet let out a long breath and fidgeted with the pencil, tapping it against the notebook while Venom was searching for words.
Getting an idea, the "demon" broke the nothingness of sound. "Hey Quiet."
She replied with a hum, giving him her full attention. "Once your voice is all up to snuff…what do you say we go somewhere different for a change? A place that isn't in our operating areas. You think you'd like that?"
Her eyes sparkled at the idea, and she nodded eagerly. He flashed an affectionate smile. "Pick your poison and let me know. We'll head there as soon as we can."
It wasn't long before a trio of smacks on the curtain startled the two. Boss instinctively attempted to retract his hand but cancelled the effort as soon as possible as the words on the notepad replayed in his head. Who cares?
"Come in."
Ocelot peeped his head in and faced Boss. "Finally found you, Romeo. Think you could split from Juliet for a moment? It's an urgent mission.", he directed his eyes at the connected hands.
He then disappeared into the curtains. Boss shrugged at Quiet when he circled back around to her. "I gotta take this."
She nodded and motioned for him to go to him. As he got up from the chair, he leaned forward and pecked her cheek, causing her to react with a bigger smile and waving at him as he left the area.
[- -]
He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall of the medical building, reaching into his pocket to pull out a fake cigar. Specifically, the Phantom Cigar. A flame appeared on his iDroid as he held it up and lit it, inhaling before letting out a puff of smoke.
Its mix of mint with other assorted plants filled the surrounding air. "So, what is it this time? Did you find those kids?"
"Not exactly. But we think we might know which direction they came from."
"Really now?", his voice was muffled as he kept the cigar in his mouth. "How so?"
"We know someone in Africa who can testify to this.", Ocelot moved from the front of the door to a spot further out, turning his back to the legendary soldier. "Intel says this guy saw Sahelanthropus flying with a helicopter full of kids. Knows the exact compass direction too."
"Lemme guess. He's not one of us. He's an enemy soldier in an outpost?", Boss pretty much expected this by now, his unsurprised tone showing as he pulled the cigar from his mouth, putting it between his fingers and letting his hand rest near his waist.
"Bingo.", Ocelot pointed one of his hands in his signature fashion as he pivoted around back towards Venom.
"Where? I'll fulton him."
"Details are on your iDroid. You can start whenever."
Venom dropped the cigar on the ground and stomped on the lit end of it. "Alright. I'll go now. I gotta find some way to pass the time while I wait for her.", he hopped off his spot on the wall and began walking towards the helipad by Quiet's original cell, opening his iDroid to request a chopper.
"Atta boy!", Ocelot patted the man's back. "This should be an easy one Boss! Good luck!"
He called to the man in the distance, who was already near the lowering chopper. "Here's to hoping nothing goes wrong. You got a special lady here Boss. Don't keep her waiting.", he murmured as he watched the helicopter fly off in the distance.
