Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hidden behind a staircase, you readied your shot at the target in front of you. The mannequin stood patiently, waiting for more bullets to get fired into it. The last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the vast ocean. Your finger tightened around the trigger, and the bullet hit the bullseye's center on the mannequin's chest.

A smile tugged on the corner of your lips. You decided it was enough for the day, having practiced for about an hour after your required patrol. You'd grown to enjoy modifying and handling small custom weapons. The pistol you held proved itself as the best weapon you had made so far. As you approached the mannequin, the eerie sound of boots echoed behind you.

“What are you doing out here, soldier?” Came a voice with a slight southern drawl. You froze. “You should be inside at this hour.” You spun around. The leader of the intel team, Ocelot, stood behind you. His silver hair blew in the breeze. Ocelot’s eyes narrowed at the sight of your pistol. “Where’d you get that?” He said lowly.

“Uh, I got it from the training room.” Without warning, he snatched the gun from your hand and thoroughly examined it. You paled. His hands traced the engravings on your pistol. He looked up at you again with judgement.

“I don’t think that’s the case.” He stepped forward, causing you to take a step back. “The Boss will know about this. I expect to see you up in his office at nine.”

You stood unmoving as he disappeared behind a stairwell. You had been at Mother Base for about a month. Still, you only saw The Boss, Snake, sparingly when he returned from missions. In fact, you had only spotted Ocelot a few times before, as he only appeared during sundown to check on the night patrol. Even Snake’s right-hand man, Miller rarely showed his face in broad daylight. Getting caught after hours could lead to dismissal, and you'd lose your newly made pistol too. You sighed, kicking yourself for practicing your aim for too long.

Snake’s office sat at the top of the command center. Recently, more lower-ranking soldiers were summoned to see Snake. However, many would be completely pulled from schedule once they met with the Boss. Raising your hand to knock on the door, a hand tapped on your shoulder. Yelping, you spun around.

“Relax.” Ocelot whispered, his hand still on your shoulder.

His other hand opened the door for you. In the dark office, Snake sat in his revolving chair. He faced away from you, staring at the monitors on the wall. Each tiny monitor depicted a place on Mother Base, including the not-so-secret area you liked to hide away in. They bathed the room in an eerie green glow. Miller stood next to Snake, and turned around as Ocelot walked in with you.

“Here they are.” Ocelot announced, directing you to a foldable chair. You sat on the uncomfortable metal. Snake swiveled his chair around to face you, examining every little detail of your body. You did the same, noticing all the little scars littering his face. He said your name, making the hair on the back of your neck stand.

“Why do you have this?” Snake asked, his voice husky. He held up your pistol and tossed it onto the table. You didn’t dare move, feeling the trio stare you down like you were under a microscope. You opened your mouth, but nothing came out.

“Not like it matters,” Miller remarked, approaching you. A heavy weight settled in your chest. “What matters is you’ve disobeyed orders.” Looking up at him, you could spot your anxious reflection in his glasses as he scowled at you.

“Fine,” You confess. “I took a spare pistol and modified it.” You hung your head, already picturing yourself getting fired and having to find yet another career to support yourself.

“Really?” Ocelot questioned, standing right behind your chair. “You’re easy to interrogate.” You bit the inside of your mouth. He leaned over, inches from your face, and grinned. Unnaturally sharp canines glistened at you.

Your eyes widened, panic bubbling up inside your body. Without thinking, you jolted out of your chair and rushed to the door, bursting it open.

Speeding over the top deck, you could hear the three men clamoring behind you. You didn’t dare look back, jumping over a guardrail onto the next floor below. Your legs wobbled as they absorbed the shock from the fall, but all the adrenaline coursing through your veins kept you running. Snake had the same idea, leaping over the rail and landing smoothly. A cold, calculating look crossed his face.

As you sped down another flight of stairs, you spotted Ocelot turning a corner, staring you down with determination and resentment. Your lungs burned as you sprinted across the main floor of the command platform over to the medical platform. You glanced behind for a moment, noticing Ocelot and Snake sprinting inches behind you. Ocelot swiped, narrowly missing your head, causing a surge of energy to propel you forward.

Now on the medical platform, you spotted a small, closed off area with a staircase leading downward. You could sense the two men breathing down your back. Running forever would be fruitless. You hopped over the fence and dashed down the staircase into the chamber below. However, a dead end stopped you in your tracks. Your heart sank.

The room contained a cell, metal grating covering the ceiling, letting moonlight illuminate the area. Turning around, Snake and Ocelot stood behind you. Surprisingly, Miller had even caught up, glaring at you with even more venom than before. As you recovered from the intense chase, the trio stood by, watching you with a mix of annoyance and irritation. Snake eyed the prison cell for a moment, before unlocking the door.

“Get in.” He said.

Before you could even process his words, someone stirred inside the cell. A woman laid on the bed, wearing little clothing, and her brown hair was tied up in a ponytail. She put her pillow over her head and sighed.

“Don’t mind Quiet,” Miller remarked. “You’ll get along just fine with her…"

You reluctantly entered the cell. Quiet didn’t respond, still clutching the pillow over her ears. Snake closed the door behind you with a heavy thud.

“Now,” Snake continued, a hand gripping one of the bars. Up close, you noticed Snake’s teeth closely resembled Ocelot's, like daggers. You bit your lip, preparing for a punishment much worse than getting fired, or getting chased. “You’ll be staying with Quiet until further notice.” You looked over at Quiet, who now had her head in her hand, tapping her finger against her cheek. Ocelot smirked, exchanging expressions with Miller, who appeared amused for once.

“What do you want?” You finally blurted out. Snake stood over you, Quiet tensing up.

“Give me your hand.” He ordered. You reluctantly stuck your hand out between the bars and laid your palm out flat. Snake took your hand in his, as if he held a delicate flower. Ocelot and Miller eagerly stood next to Snake. Your hand shook with anxiety.

"Don’t be so anxious. Just relax…” Ocelot mused. You tried to jerk your hand back to no avail.

“Don’t do that. Stay still or you’ll make it worse.” Snake said sternly, his grip tightening around you. Snake lowered his mouth to your hand. He bit down on your pointer finger ever so slightly. You cringed as his fang poked your flesh. Snake moved back, letting a bead of deep red form on your fingertip. Your eyes widened in horror, your hand now shaking uncontrollably. Quiet watched, hands in her lap, unfazed. Ocelot gripped your wrist with a gloved hand.

“I said, relax.” His tongue traced over the bead of blood. All three men now took turns licking your tiny wound, your wrist locked into place. You sat there, jaw hinged, entire body screaming in terror at the spectacle. Once the dot on your finger went dry, Snake let go of your wrist. You jerked your hand back and dashed over to the other side of the cell. Your worst assumption turned true. The three vampires stood, now satisfied, at the edge of your prison.

Ocelot licked his lips. “See? Not so bad…” You cowered against the corner, breathing unevenly.

“Get back over here, we need more.” Miller demanded. Snake put a hand on his chest, gesturing to the open ceiling, where the twilight faded into the early morning sky. Miller cursed under his breath. Snake made eye contact with you. He said your name in a flat, yet threatening tone.

“We’ll see you tomorrow.”

You sat in the corner, trying to process everything, also trying not to freak out in front of your fellow prisoner. Eventually, as the sun rose, you decided to take a risk.

“Quiet, have they ever…drank blood from you?” You asked. She rolled over in annoyance and shook her head, resuming her sunbathing session. You sighed, knowing damn well bothering Quiet with questions wouldn't get you far. For now, you could only pray to the warm and blinding sun above to shield you from peril.

Chapter Text

The night had come much quicker than you anticipated. The sky shifted from a cerulean to a deep navy, sprinkled with tiny, shimmering stars. It would’ve been beautiful on any other night, but now, it acted as a sinister omen. You sat curled up on the floor, eyes on the sky. Quiet took the bed, guarding the little space she had left. Staying confined to the cell with Quiet acted as the better option than having your blood taken by three vampires.

Footsteps echoed around the chamber. Snake entered first, with Miller and Ocelot close behind him. You noticed Snake had your custom pistol strapped to his utility belt. He studied you and Quiet silently. Surprisingly, Snake unlocked the door, the three of them pouring in. Quiet huffed, and rolled over in annoyance. They stood at the opposite side of the cell, eyes drilling into your compressed form. Snake slowly approached you, despair seeping into your bones. He towered over you. The other men watched impatiently. Snake unclipped your gun from his belt and dropped it on the ground next to your feet. It taunted you while lying there, motionless.

“I think this belongs to you.” He said, his voice gravelly. You eyed the gun, extending your hand outward.

“Boss, are you mad?” Miller questioned, trudging over. “You can’t give them a weapon, they’ll try to kill us.” He flicked his cane, shoving the pistol to the other side of the cell. It skittered across the floor and hit the iron bars with a thud. Snake leaned close to Miller and looked at you with a fiery expression. He said your name with warmth.

“Go get it.” He gestured. You didn’t move a muscle. Worry painted your face.

“See?” Miller moved your chin with the tip of his cane, forcing you to make eye contact with him. He had his usual frown plastered onto his face, but behind those dark glasses, his eyes overflowed with hunger. “They’re practically asking to be punished.” You swallowed, palms sweating. Ocelot picked up your pistol and spun it playfully in one hand.

“How about this...” Ocelot said. His cowboy boots clicked against the concrete floor. “You get your precious gun back, and you’ll get to practice shooting all you like,” He crouched down, meeting you at eye level. “But you’ll have to give us some blood.” Ocelot tossed your pistol in the air, before catching it and offering it up to you with a slight smile.

“That’s not enough, and you know it, Ocelot.” Miller hissed. Snake placed a hand on Miller’s shoulder.

“We’ll sort out the details later, Kaz.” He said, his face softening. Ocelot inched the pistol closer, now poking you with it. You grabbed it eagerly, strapping it to your belt.

“Deal.”

All three men backed off a bit as you stood up. Ocelot patted you on the back.

“Let’s get you out of here.” He grinned again, shamelessly showing off his fangs. You bit the inside of your mouth. Quiet turned over and crossed her arms. “Sorry for all the trouble, Quiet.” She furrowed her eyebrows together. As the trio escorted out of the cell, you noticed Quiet giving you a worrisome glance. She hesitantly gave you a wave.

____________________________________________________________________________

Once again, you found yourself in Snake’s office, awkwardly sitting on an uncomfortable metal chair with the trio surrounding you. The faint green glow of the monitors highlighted Snake's figure as he towered over you.

“I need your arm.” He knelt down next to you. Reluctantly, you shuddered as you rolled up your sleeve. Snake licked his lips at the sight of your flesh. “Perfect.” Snake brought your arm to his mouth, his beard tickling your skin. Ocelot and Miller leaned in as well. You were trapped. Snake grazed his teeth along your arm, sending a shiver up your spine. His fangs stopped at the top of your forearm and delicately poked into you. Bright red blood blossomed on top of your skin. You quivered with dread, clenching your jaw. Snake brought his tongue up to the liquid and licked your arm gingerly. His soft lips eased the tension in your muscles. Miller tried to worm his way between you two.

“Boss, I need my fill.” He said, crouching down. Snake pushed back at him a bit, but leaned away with a grumble. Miller gripped your arm harshly and sucked on your wound zealously, his stubble brushing against your tender flesh. Blood continued to gush out of your arm as your breathing became increasingly ragged. He exhaled in satisfaction. The tips of your fingers pricked and grew colder.

“Scared?” Ocelot caressed you with a gloved hand. “Don’t be shy…” He whispered, his voice smooth like velvet. You tried to reply, but all of your thoughts drained out of you. Your fingers fully numbed. Ocelot gestured at Miller, who tentatively let go and cleared his throat. Once Ocelot’s tongue began lapping up blood, stars dotted your vision.

“Stop…” You murmured.

Ocelot tilted his head. “I’m not finished with you yet. I’m starving…” Your breathing continued to get increasingly more ragged and desperate as he kept slurping. Darkness clouded your eyesight. Finally, Ocelot pulled back, licking his blood-stained teeth. “Not bad...” You could only sit there in shock. "Lightheaded? That’s okay…stay put for a bit.” He purred. Gulping, you barely nodded and attempted to collect yourself. Snake sat down in his command chair.

“I’ll give you the morning off to get some rest.” He leaned back in contentment.

“And don’t go running your mouth to the rest of Mother Base.” Miller added, “Or else I’ll personally drink you dry.” Snake gave Miller a dirty look.

“At least give them time to recover before threatening them.” Ocelot shot back, gently wrapping gauze around your arm. Miller’s lips turned into a thin line.

“Right…” He uttered. Ocelot rolled down your sleeve and handed you a water bottle. You grabbed it with a shaky hand, still seeing stars.

“Drink the water. We need all that blood replaced as soon as possible.” You chugged the water as if you hadn’t drank in days. The coolness eased your overheating body. You wiped the cold sweat from your brow, your breathing slowly regaining itself. Finally, Ocelot’s words sank in.

“How often do you need blood?” You questioned. Ocelot and Miller exchanged glances; Ocelot held back a laugh.

“Every other night.” Snake finally announced. Your jaw dropped.

“That’s…” You began.

“A lot, I know.” Miller finished your sentence. “And honestly, animal blood doesn't taste as good.” You blinked, chest tightening.

“You‘ll be alright. We’ll make sure you’re healthy before we draw more.” Ocelot gave you a grin, causing your stomach to turn. You sighed, before slowly standing before your situation got any worse. The corners of your vision went fuzzy.

“Goodbye.” You choked out.

“Wait.” Came Snake’s gruff voice. You made eye contact with him, his gaze striking you down. “Feel free to use the alcove behind my office to practice your aim whenever you want.” You raised your eyebrows, your mouth forming a slight smile out of excitement. Frankly, you had no clue such an alcove existed. You gave him a weak salute.

“Thank you, Boss.”

Snake gave a slight nod. As you prepared to leave, Snake said your name. You spun around.

“Goodnight.”

Surprised, you cleared your throat.

“Goodnight, Boss.”

You sensed the three men hungrily staring you down as you dashed out of his office and into the first rays of dawn.

Chapter Text

Lying in your dorm, you stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of yesterday's events. After a near-death experience, getting out of bed seemed impossible. Unsettling images of blood pouring out of your arm kept flashing through your mind and haunting your dreams. You rolled over on your small cot and let out a sigh. The gauze on your arm had come loose a bit, you tugged at it, giving your skin some air to breathe. The tender flesh mostly healed, except for where Snake had bitten you. A dark blue halo still surrounded the wound. You gritted your teeth, wondering if you'd ever get used to it.

After a boring day of patrolling the combat platform and writing paperwork, you decided to sharpen your shooting skills. The alcove Snake mentioned crossed your mind, but resided on the opposite side of Mother Base. However the allure of having a spot personally dedicated to you caused you to hurry over to the command platform. Other soldiers gave you odd glances as you sped over. You eagerly dashed up the countless flights of stairs. Finally, you reached the top.

You paused by the door to Snake’s office. Silence. Perhaps he was out on a mission with Miller and Ocelot. More unnerving pictures of the trio lapping up your blood crossed your mind, but curiosity got the better of you. You held your ear up to the door. A faint, muffled voice filtered through.

"Please, no, I promise I’m innocent!”

“Oh you’re far too late...”

A crash rang out.

Your chest tightened. Flattening your back against the door, you decided to listen in again.

“Don’t make this harder for us.”

“That’s it, now stay still..."

A dull moan sounded out in response.

Your legs went wobbly. Guzzling and slurping noises tainted your hearing.

“At least you taste good… all that fighting for nothing.”

Laughter filled the room, causing the hair on the back of your neck to rise. Horror crept into your veins.

“I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Of course, Boss.”

Stomach turning, you leaned away from the door, standing there awkwardly. The wound on your arm called out to you. Collecting yourself, you nervously meandered to the far side of the rooftop. You rounded the corner behind Snake’s office in hopes of finding the alcove.

Sure enough, you found the small area, tucked away from the rest of the world. Your eyes widened with surprise. Unclipping your prized possession from your belt, you began to focus on the target in front of you. You fired. A hole appeared in the dead center of the target. Soon enough, your worries melted away as you handled your weapon in the sunset.

“Nice shot, soldier.”

You spun around. Ocelot leaned against the wall, hiding in its shadow.

“Oh, uh, thanks.” You replied, mildly unsettled.

Ocelot leered. The shadow had extended further in the waning sunlight, allowing him to safely walk toward you. The clicking of his spurs sent a chill up your spine. You kept your eyes on the target, hands tightly wrapped around the grip. Your pointer finger pulled the trigger. The steel bullet missed the target completely.

“Here. Let me show you something.” His gloved hand overlapped yours.

You froze. He stood directly behind you, his chest pressing against your back.

“Don’t lean over when you shoot. Stand up straight.” You adjusted your posture accordingly.

“There we go. Now,” Ocelot leaned away. A slight breeze tickled your face. "I'd like to see you try to use one hand.” He said playfully.
You blinked before lowering your pistol.

“I can't—"

“Sure you could…"

Ocelot unsheathed one of his revolvers. He twirled it around in his hand, still staring at you with a slight smirk, and fired. A hole formed on the target’s head. Your jaw unhinged. He gave his revolver one last spin before presenting it to you.

“Go ahead," Ocelot mused.

The revolver found its way into your hands. Your hands explored the foreign weapon. You took a minute to adjust to the unfamiliar grip. It appeared old-fashioned, nothing like anything you had handled before, but it could get the job done. Standing proud, you raised Ocelot’s revolver and aimed for the heart. Your finger pulled the trigger down smoothly.

“Well done.”

You couldn’t help but crack a smile. Ocelot said your name in an endearing tone.

“You’ve got some real skill. You’ve never even used my gun before, and you’re already shooting perfectly.”

Heat rushed up to your face. Ocelot stood behind you again, taking his revolver out of your hand.

“Try again with your pistol.” He pointed to your gun.

As you reached for your revered weapon, Ocelot tilted his head.

“You’ve got some nice engravings there.”

You examined the markings on your weapon. The many twists and turns shifted under your fingertips.

“They add a personal touch.” You said.

Ocelot nodded. You stiffened your posture, lining your back up with Ocelot’s chest. You fired. The bullet tore straight through the center of the target. Pride bubbled up in your chest. For a moment, you forgot a bloodthirsty monster stood right behind you.

“I’m gonna call it a night.” You said.

“This early?”

“I need my rest for tomorrow.”

Ocelot placed his hands on your shoulders. They moved downwards to the sides of your arms.

“You know…” He whispered.

“I miss that succulent taste of blood already.”
A puzzling mix of terror and excitement pumped through your veins. Tension boiled inside you. Ocelot chuckled as your heart raced.

“What’s the matter, delicious?”

The bruise on your arm tingled.

“Don’t be shy.” His scarf wisped gently in the breeze.

He pulled you into his chest and flashed you a predatory grin. His fangs highlighted his angular features. Sparks ignited in your stomach. You swallowed, bracing yourself. Yet, you couldn’t extinguish the flame of desire inside you.

“What do you want?”

Your muscles tensed with worry. Ocelot gripped the bruised area on your arm.

“It won’t hurt. I promise.”

Suddenly, he spun you around. Your eyes met his. An endless spiral of hunger gazed back. Bracing yourself, Ocelot leaned into you.
Brittle stubble caressed your neck. Lips fervently worked their way from the base of your neck to your cheek. There, he began to gently nibble, fangs grazing you. His icy skin sprouted gooseflesh on your body. You stayed perfectly still, eyes closed. Finally, he heartily pressed his lips to yours. Reciprocating, your chest burst with fire. Ocelot suddenly pulled back. Your eyes opened in confusion.

“I told you it wouldn’t hurt.”

You blinked.

"Damn… you really are tasty.” Heat rushed up to your face. He gave a low chuckle.

“I’ll see you later, delicious.”

He left as he appeared, mysteriously. His form was like shadow, melting and materializing in and out as he pleased.

You held your hand up to your cheek. Crimson coated your fingertips.

Chapter Text

Your schedule for Monday listed for you to patrol the R&D platform on top of the grueling amount of busy work you got assigned. Frankly, you preferred to use your time on the R&D platform to sneak into the weapons room on the basement floor for anything new to tinker with.

Your busy work got finished by mid afternoon, leaving you with extra time to experiment. You took the dingy elevator down. You poked your head out the elevator, scanning for any sign of life. Silence rang through your ears as you leisurely strolled over to the weapons room and entered without a care in the world.

A figure stood in the far end of the room near the workbench.

Quiet turned around. She tilted her head slightly, and gestured for you to come over. As you approached her, the weapon she had created caught your eye. A sleek, unfinished sniper rifle laid out on the workbench. A butterfly logo marked the side of the weapon. An assortment of parts laid around the area, waiting for her to put them to good use. Quiet presented it to you, her face lighting up.

“Wow…that’s amazing.”

She beamed, and continued trying to screw on the scope to her rifle. You reached for a suppressor and placed it next to the muzzle. As you were about to compliment her engineering skills, a harsh voice barked your name, echoing around the chamber. Quiet gasped, her body vanishing into thin air instantaneously.

You swallowed, eyes still focused on the rifle on the workbench.

“What do you think you’re doing?” A disgruntled Miller trudged towards you. You stood unmoving, examining the butterfly logo on the side of Quiet’s rifle. He huffed. "Are you building weapons while you’re supposed to be patrolling?” He said. You bit the inside of your lip. "Look at me when I’m talking to you.” He demanded. You turned around. Miller, grumpy as ever, made eye contact with you through his tinted glasses.

“I’m sorry, Commander I-”

“You know what? Forget it.” He grumbled, meandering around for a chair. “I’ll drink extra blood from you tonight as punishment.” Goosebumps sprouted on the back of your neck. He cracked a rare smile as he sat. His fangs glistened. You straightened your posture.

“Don’t tell me you came all the way here to watch me tinker with spare parts.” You said, using what little confidence you had left.

“Maybe, but I didn’t expect Quiet to show her face.” The workbench felt lonely without her silent presence. "She took a liking to you…consider yourself lucky.” Slowly nodding, you touched the tiny scab on your cheek from your encounter with Ocelot yesterday. It didn’t hurt, unlike the bruise on your arm. It surged with discomfort if you moved it too quickly. You took it as a memento of the unfortunate situation you found yourself in. Miller’s eyebrows furrowed together. "What’s on your face?” He gestured to your cheek.

“Uh, nothing.” You held your cheek in your hand.

Miller frowned. Not like his usual disgruntled frown, though. Behind those glasses, his eyes shifted with concern.

“Let me see.” He beckoned you to come closer. You hesitantly obliged, standing over him. A gloved hand grabbed your cheek and yanked it down. He scowled, and shoved you away. “Who did this?” You held your cheek in your hand, easing the pain. Your feet shuffled as you stared at them. “Answer me.” Words struggled to leave your mouth. You stepped back, hoping you could disappear like Quiet could. "It was Ocelot, wasn’t it?” He clenched his jaw. Heat rose to your face at the sound of his name. “That bastard...” He begrudgingly stood. “Listen,” Miller stepped towards you, trapping you against the workbench. “If he ever tries to take you for himself…” He leaned in, now inches away from your face.

“It’s only a scratch, it doesn't hurt.” You announced, hands shaking.

Miller hesitated.

“Is that so?” He glowered, voice lowering. “In that case, you wouldn’t mind if I bit into your neck and guzzled your mouthwatering blood?” Your chest tightened. Fear and anticipation tangled together inside your heart. You hung your head. "That’s what I thought.” He said.

“Why do you care? I’m gonna die any day now.” You retorted, pulling your sleeve out of the way to reveal your darkened bruise. Blood rushed to your face.

Miller tilted his head at the sight, expression softening. “That won’t happen.”

“Then why threaten me? I didn’t ask to be stalked.”

Miller sighed. “I didn’t ask to become a vampire. No one in their right mind would.” He said faintly. “It’s a difficult adjustment for all of us.”

You pulled down your sleeve and softened your gaze. Miller cleared his throat, an awkward smile tugging at his lips.

“I wouldn’t mind if you drank a drop or two if you needed it, Commander.”

He chuckled. “You’re too kind, sweetheart.”

Before you could reply, he pecked you on your scarred cheek. Your jaw unhinged, face growing hot again. Fire sparked deep inside of you, igniting throughout your body.

“Now…I think The Boss is waiting for us.”

.............

Snake lounged in his captains chair, feet relaxed on his pristine desk. Ocelot leaned against the wall with a sinister grin on his face. Miller and Ocelot exchanged charged glances as you sat on the familiar folding chair. Snake said your name before the two could bicker.

“How’s your arm?”

“Oh, uh, it’s kinda bruised.” You rolled up your sleeve.

Snake leaned forward, eyebrows furrowing.

“Hmm…show me your other arm.”

You obeyed, pulling your other sleeve, exposing untouched flesh. Snake licked his lips as he rose from his chair.

“That’ll have to do.”

Ocelot and Miller impatiently stood against the wall as Snake knelt in front of you. He grabbed your arm with both hands, examining your body for the perfect spot to dig his fangs into. Anxiety surged through your veins. Snake cupped the side of your face with his robotic hand. You shivered at the touch of the cool metal.

“I’ll be gentle.” He said softly.

His touch evaporated the worry stored inside of you, replacing it with tranquility. Miller and Ocelot knelt as Snake traced your arm with his lips, grazing his teeth slightly over your supple skin. Cringling, you averted your gaze from the sight before you. A sharp pain erupted on your arm. You gasped. Snake lapped at your gushing wound, his rough beard chafing your skin.

“What’s wrong?” Ocelot mused, making eye contact with you. A gloved hand caressed your thigh. You couldn’t respond, losing your train of thought as you stared at every little nook and cranny of his face.

“Nothing…” You said with labored breathing.

“Well then, I hope you don’t mind if we drink a bit more than last time…” He gave a low chuckle.

Ocelot and Miller clung to Snake like glue, licking their lips in anticipation. Your fingers pricked, numbness seeping into your bones. Snake moaned as blood ran down his throat. He turned to the hungry men behind him.

“Go ahead.”

The duo greedily latched onto your arm and fought over your deep red blood. Miller couldn’t muster enough strength to force Ocelot away, giving up and letting him go first. Ocelot licked your arm longingly, his moustache tickled your skin.

“You taste even better than before…” He said between gulps. Fire ignited in your chest again, causing a puzzling mix of terror and desire. Miller knelt behind Ocelot with a cold expression, struggling to keep himself from lashing out.

“Damn it Ocelot, I’m parched, move out of the way.”

Ocelot gave Miller a smug smirk. “Well I’m starving too, be patient.”

Your hands lost feeling, turning still like stone. You could only stare, eyes wide like sauce plates as the two pushed back and forth. Fuzziness clouded your eyesight.

“Be gentle.” Snake remarked, raising his voice.

The duo paused. Ocelot silently let go of your arm as Miller avidly latched onto you, licking the pouring liquid out of you. Stars formed on the edge of your vision, causing you to breathe more heavily. His unkempt hair brushed against you. Miller pulled away, blood dripping down his mouth. Your face twisted into confusion.

“Slow down…” You whimpered

Miller scoffed.

“I’m not finished. Don’t forget that I caught you disobeying orders earlier.”

His hand squeezed your arm, forcing a fountain of crimson to spill out. He guzzled it with zeal as your eyesight darkened. You could only moan dully in response. Nausea coiled in your stomach, causing beads of sweat to break out on your face.

“What the hell are you doing, Miller?” Came Ocelot’s voice as ringing sounded through your ears.

You could sense the two still fighting each other as every thought flying through your head slowly slipped out of you. The countless conflicting emotions building inside of you simply spilled out of your arm and into the mouths of the vampires surrounding you. Darkness fully clouded your vision.

“That’s enough.” Snake’s deep voice called out, your ears barely picking it up.

You could barely think, horror and numbness consumed your senses. A metal hand touched your forehead. You swear you could hear your name through the abyss. Finally, you let go, free falling deep into the void.

Chapter Text

Sunlight dispersed onto your face. Gold shifted under your eyelids, awaking you from your deep slumber. Your head pounded. Fuzziness coated your vision. You laid in a pristinely white hospital bed. A window gifted you some sunlight. Machines jutted their wires into your bruised arms. For now, you could only stare at the blank wall in front of you.

…

The sunlight eventually faded, leaving you alone in the darkness. The door creaked open. Snake stood at the foot of your bed.

“You’re awake. Can you speak?”

You blinked.

“Hang in there. I’ll get you fixed. I promise.”

Your fingers twitched.

…

You weren’t sure how much time had passed. Snake stood at the foot of your bed again.

“How are you feeling?”

You groaned and tried to lift your head, but Snake put his hand on your chest.

“No. You need another day of rest.”

…

Snake sat at your side after an eternity.

“Can you lift your head?”

You did so, managing to sit up in the process. He took your hand in his.

“When you’re able to walk, I need to show you something.”

You nodded, stretching your legs in anticipation.

…

Once you put one foot in front of another with confidence, Snake decided you could reenter the world. He guided you out of the blank room and into the cool twilight, his metal hand delicately encompassing yours. You didn’t expect something artificial to fully capture something profoundly human.

“Can you manage a bit of a walk?” He asked.

“Yeah…” Your body slowly regained its strength as you walked.

“You were comatose for weeks. I didn’t expect you to recover this quickly.” Snake gripped your hand tighter. “After a week of blood transfusions, it seemed grim.” Stunned, you opened your mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Snake made eye contact with you. “I never thought you’d wake up.”

…

Snake led you onto the R&D platform, down into the weapons workshop. He stopped right before the door, and gestured for you to go inside first. You did so. Inside, your pistol laid on the workbench. Various weapons hung on the wall, and loads of parts and attachments laid out on the workbench .

“You’ll build weapons for the R&D team now. Consider this a promotion.”

Your chest swelled with excitement. You snatched your prized possession, and examined the wall of polished weapons before you. You spotted Quiet’s now finished sniper rifle among the crowd.

“Really…?” You managed to say. Snake tilted his head. You jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. Surprised, Snake held you close and embraced you gently. He guided you against the table, pressing his body against yours.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had some time alone, my dear.” Heat rose to your face. Snake licked his lips. Your heart sank, anticipating the worst.
“I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m so damn hungry..." He leaned in, compressing your body against the table. You placed your hands on his chest. Snake hesitated, before planting a kiss onto your forehead. His mechanical arm traced the outline of your back and rested on your collarbone. His other arm gripped your thigh and squeezed. You looked away in embarrassment as his hand moved upwards. He tilted your chin back towards his face, forcing eye contact.

“Don’t be shy.” He undid the top button on your uniform, exposing your collarbone. His beard grazed your neck, sending a wave of pleasure through your body. You closed your eyes and relaxed your muscles, letting Snake take control. Slight pain sprouted on your collar. You cried out, your hands gripping his green uniform. His tongue explored the area, lapping up fresh blood zealously.

“Boss…”

Snake paused, and a frigid hand gripped your neck. “Stay calm. I’ll be quick.” He continued to lick your exposed flesh, tenderly drinking every last drop of the warm, red liquid. Your fingertips numbed, terror stiffening your body. Snake pulled back, licking his pointed teeth clean.

“Are you alright?” He held a hand to your forehead. You slowly nodded. Relieved, he wrapped his arms around you, and to your surprise, lifted you off the ground and into his arms. “I’ll get you bandaged up.” He said, holding you close to his chest. You fit perfectly in his grasp.

…

Snake lovingly carried you to his stateroom, which resided on the quieter side of the medical platform. Inside, Snake laid you down on a large bed and bandaged your shoulder, taking his time. He acted as if your body was made of glass, tenderly wrapping the soft gauze around the affected area, and offered you a bottle of water, which you drank like you were dying of thirst.

Snake’s quarters reminded you of a rooftop penthouse, spacious and luxurious. His bedroom was spotless, making you feel like an imposter who wormed their way into opulence. Snake carefully peeked behind the heavy duty curtains which hung over each window.

“It’s nearly sunrise. Ocelot and Miller will be here soon.”

You sat up. Their names sent a chill through your body.

“What for? They better not steal any more of my blood” You said stiffly. Snake shook his head.

“Ever since we turned, we had to stay close so none of us got injured by sunlight. This place is our resting spot during most of the daylight.”

You raised your eyebrows. Before you could respond, the door burst open.

“Boss!” Ocelot carried a blood bag in his hands. A peeved looking Miller trudged in behind him. “We managed to get blood from-” His voice trailed off when he noticed you sitting on the side of the bed. He whispered your name.

“You’re finally awake…” Miller uttered.

The two hungrily approached you, but Snake stood in between, his arms crossed.

“They’re still recovering.” He grabbed the blood bag from Ocelot’s hand and pierced it with his fangs. “This will have to do for now.” He slurped a bit of the blood before offering it back to Ocelot.

Ocelot nodded, reluctantly drinking from the blood bag while staring at you. Miller knelt beside the bed. He said your name while staring down at his feet, gripping his cane tightly.

“I-” He drew a breath. Miller took off his glasses, revealing his clear blue eyes. “I went overboard. This is my fault.” He said shakily. You two made eye contact, it was like ocean waves crashing ashore. Ocelot knelt next to him, nudging his shoulder and offering him the half empty blood bag.

“I’m glad you’re doing well.” He said while Miller drank the remaining blood. Ocelot looked away, his cheeks turning pink. He cleared his throat. “I, uh, wouldn’t know what to do with myself if you died. I don’t think I could live with the guilt…” He trailed off. You placed your hand on his. His face reddened at the gesture. Snake eyed the two men with suspicion.

“Did you only bring one blood bag?” Snake asked.

Ocelot stood. “Yeah, we’re running low on blood, boss. We’ve been rationing it so we can make it through the day. ”

Snake sighed. Your mind flashed back to your eavesdropping session, sprouting goosebumps on your arms. You buttoned up your uniform, hiding the gauze on your collarbone. Mild pain surged whenever you moved your shoulder. You spoiled the vampires with the taste of your blood, and animal blood certainly wasn’t an for them option anymore.

“Listen,” Miller remarked. “At least it’s not as bad as when you sporadically killed a nurse and we had to get rid of the witnesses! Staff morale tanked that day!”

Ocelot scoffed. “So what? We were fed for days. We can rake in more staff from missions, it’s no big deal.”

“Better than spreading this cursed parasite.” Snake mumbled, laying on the bed.

“Parasite?” You chimed in, your body tensing. You heard strange rumors around Mother Base about a parasite that killed soldiers who spoke English, but those stories slowly trickled into obscurity. Snake nodded.

“Quiet is infected with a parasite, too. It prevents her from speaking English, as you may have guessed.” Ocelot said, laying next to Snake.

“A scientist named Huey tried to sabotage us with a new strain of parasite he created himself.” Snake started, his face dark. “It doesn't affect the host’s ability to speak English though, it causes an unquenchable thirst for blood and melts the skin when exposed to sunlight. Like this.” Snake removed his glove, revealing a raw and blistered area covered in boils. You shrank back at the sight. “By the time I killed him,” He continued, knuckles white. “The damage had already been done, and I couldn't stop myself…” Sanke mumbled, eyes glazing over. A gruesome image of the ordeal seeded in your head.

Miller put a hand on Snake’s shoulder with a concerned expression. “We had to quarantine in here during the day, surviving off of animal blood from the conversation platform to avoid any suspicion. Luckily, our medical team quickly developed a treatment to stop the parasite from spreading to anyone else.” Miller looked Ocelot dead in the eyes. “That’s when Ocelot rampaged and killed that nurse.” Ocelot huffed.

You bit your lip, looking down at your uneasy hands. In your eyes, Quiet didn’t deserve her fate, forever locked in a cell and forced to stay silent. However, the demons surrounding you did. You had fallen straight into hell and learned a vital truth. Demons forged by the hellfire of war manifest with a thirst for blood.

Ocelot poked your side, noticing your disconnect. “What’s wrong? Is this too much to take in?”

“No, no…I’m…tired.” You said lamely.

Snake tiled your chin to face him.

“Don’t worry, that’s all behind us now. Rest for a while.”

…

You awoke from your short slumber to the sound of rain pattering outside. Still groggy, you took a second to adjust to the darkness. A hearth crackled on the corner, warming the room. You rolled over, face to face with a shirtless, sleeping Snake. All three men slept under the sheets while you slept upon the comforter without a blanket. Miller and Ocelot embraced each other as they slept, their faces relaxed. Snake stirred as you sat up, his eye opening. His mechanical arm grabbed yours.

“Stay.” He said, his voice gruff. You obeyed, laying down once again. Snake coiled his arms around you and rolled over. You laid in between Snake and Ocelot like a cramped sardine. You heard Ocelot purr as he snored.

“Sleep with me until sundown, my dear.” Snake whispered, nuzzling against you. He intertwined your legs with his. You studied the rise and sink of his chest, the chill of his skin, and his deep and steady breathing. Your eyes circled their way to his face. Despite the scars, lesions, and the shrapnel horn embedded in him, he rested as if he had no troubles. Your eyelids sank. You deeply embraced the beast beside you, letting your pain wither away.

Half-asleep, you noticed a figure in the corner of the room. Quiet stood, eyes unblinking. Her face was coated in a black and splotchy butterfly pattern. For a split second, you two made eye contact. Her body disintegrated into the air around her, leaving you stranded.