archiveofourown.org/works/57612079

faces a little flushed and expressions relaxed.

Tomorrow’s going to be another busy day, with lots of missions and work to get through. But they can worry about that tomorrow.
18/18

“Thanks, Kaz. For everything. I really appreciate what you do for us and the MSF.”

Kaz smiled and put his hand on Snake’s. “You can count on me, boss. Always.”

They broke away and strolled back to base, fingers intertwined, hand in hand,
17/18

that moment. It felt like time stood still. The frustration of the day and the chill of the evening were forgotten, and all they felt was the beautiful warmth they both experienced in their togetherness.

As they slowly pulled away from each other, Snake held Kaz’s gaze.
16/18

cheek, pulled him close, and kissed him. He stroked Kaz’s cheek gently. It was a tender, slow kiss, expressing all the unspoken feelings and trust between them.

The moon and the stars were the only ones who saw the feelings and affection that the two shared in
15/18

Kaz returned the look, picking up on Snake’s affection and emotion. “We’ve been through a lot, boss. But it’s those little moments that keep us going,” he said softly in response.

A smile played on Snake’s lips. He didn’t say anything else, just put a hand on Kaz’s
14/18

started to leave, but Snake stopped Kaz, holding him by the wrist. „Wait, Kaz,“ Snake said, looking him in the eye. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

„You know, Kaz,“ Snake began gently, „you’ve always been able to lift my spirits, even after a day like today.“
13/18

slowly set on the horizon and the last of the daylight gave way to night, the first stars began to appear. Kaz let out a sigh. „We should head in now. You’ve been out for a while and should get some rest, Boss.“

Snake agreed with a nod of his head. They turned and
12/18

and ran off with a bright red face. Kaz and Snake both laughed.

„You know, Kaz,“ Snake finally said, „sometimes it’s the little things that make the difference.“ He gave Kaz a pat on the shoulder, and they both enjoyed the last rays of the setting sun.

As the sun
11/18

„So, what do you say? You want a bite, boss?“

Snake had to suppress a laugh. He glanced back and saw a young soldier sneaking off with a plate in his hand—Kaz’s secret snack dealer?

“Company secret, huh?” Snake said with a laugh.

The soldier realized he’d been caught
10/18

recipe.“ Snake looked at him, a little confused. „Where did you get that burger, Kaz?“

Kaz just grinned mischievously. „That’s a company secret. Join my company, Millers Maxi Buns, and maybe I’ll tell you.“ He took a bite of the burger and then held it up to Snake.
9/18

Kaz and Snake both stood at the railing of Mother Base for a while, watching the sunset. The sky was a sea of red and orange flames. Snake’s tension eased and he finally relaxed.

Suddenly Kaz pulled a burger from behind his back. „Want to try one? It’s made from my new
8/18

the whole area and found nothing. Days wasted just to come back empty-handed…"

Kaz says „Well, what can I say, sometimes it’s just not meant to be. Maybe next time you’ll find him. Don’t worry, I know you’ll find him.“
7/18

Kaz looked up to Snake „I’m thinking about our next steps… We don’t have enough money right now. Maybe we should send out more soldiers to replenish our funds…“

Big Boss looked thoughtful. „I’ll think about it, but let’s not talk about finances right now. I’ve searched
6/18

He left the room and went to one of the platforms. Big Boss sighed deeply. „That damn bird,“ he muttered, still annoyed about the failed mission in the jungle.

He looked up to see Kaz standing there. He joined him. „What are you doing here, Kaz?“
5/18

It was already evening when Snake was done. The shower was very refreshing, even better: he had his own shower and his own bathroom, because he was the boss, the boss of the place. He didn’t need to shower in the common bathroom.
4/18

maybe something to eat.

A few hours passed and he was back at the base. He threw his weapon to the first soldier he met. „Here, take care of this. It needs to be cleaned and checked and back to me by tomorrow.“ The soldier hurried off with a „Yes, boss!"
3/18

seen feathers flying by, but had not yet found the nest or the soldier with the ID.

Frustrated, he decided to return to Mother Base. He called Kaz on the comms and told him to send someone to pick him up. He needed a break from searching and finally a proper shower and
2/18