Metal Gear Solid Fan Fiction ❯ Question ❯ One-Shot

MGS LJ Battle 2 - Question

He had nothing left to lose. The cataracts in his eyes eroded his vision with terrifying absolution. His hearing was deadened, amplified in one ear with a hearing aid. It really didn't help, just left him disoriented. Muffled sound in one ear, nothing in the other. At this point, the only thing holding him to the mortal coil was his irregular breaths beating a mournful, shaky rhythm in his lungs and the warmth of Hal's hand, holding on desperately. The scientist was holding so tight that he could feel his rapid heartbeat through the veins in his fingers.

Nothing left to lose. He knew he would always have his friendship but now, as the last vestiges of life fled his body, he only wanted one thing.
"Hal," he whispered. His lips struggled to form the words. "Hal, would you kiss me?" He didn't hear it, but he could feel the sharp intake of breath as Hal's tight hand constricted slightly. He had held this longing inside of him so long... Hal was his one and only friend, the only one who had ever understood him, truly. The only one who had stood by him when times turned miserably bad. But sometimes he only confused him and Dave could never be sure if Hal returned the desperate, feverish longing that tugged within his heart. He couldn't be sure, so he resolved never to risk the one and only grounding, human relationship he had.

But now, there was nothing to lose. If Hal was disgusted, repelled, it wouldn't matter anyway. He was minutes from oblivion, Dave could feel it in every cell of his failing body. Hal's hand constricted, then loosened, and Dave allowed a very human pang of loss to slip through his veins. No? No. That's okay, it was a silly question anyway, asked by a desperate man just a step away from death.

But then Hal's other hand was on his forehead, brushing the whitened hair from his face, smoothing over the prematurely wrinkled skin. Maybe? No, he would not give in to hope. Just the contact of his fingers was more than he could ask for, and he focused on the slightly roughened pads caressing his skin. Dave allowed a tear to slip freely from his eyes. He didn't want to go, he wanted to remain here, forever, Hal's lovely fingers on his face.

And then, stealing the air from his lungs, were Hal's lips on his mouth. His heart trembled, shocked and disbelieving. He didn't breathe, couldn't, as his warm lips moved gently against his own. Feeling came pouring through their connection. This wasn't a chaste kiss borne of pity, this was lingering, longing. No... No! Had this been there all along? Dave cried freely now and he could feel Hal's tears mingling on his face. He opened his lips slightly and Hal's tongue curled inside tentatively, seeking his desperately but carefully, afraid he might hurt him or still his heart so close to the edge of death. Hal's hands brushed through his hair. If only... If only he'd said something sooner. What a fool he'd been and now all their time was squandered, condensed down into this one kiss which sang epics of the love they shared for one another.

He could have had years of this, Hal's adoration and the glorious taste of his mouth. He had imagined, surely, but it couldn't compare to the feeling of being joined, breath mingling, tongues caressing... He could have-
And then suddenly, Dave could feel numbness in his toes, his legs, his fingers, spreading like a chill of cold. Oh god, this was it! His heart burned, mourning all the lost time, all the dreams he'd entertained in his most secret thoughts, the realization that they could have all been his. He was leaving. His Hal. It was unfair that now, at the very end of his life, he was unable to see the terrible sorrow etched on the beautiful face of his partner.

Their lips met until Dave's were stilled and even then, Hal couldn't bring himself to sever the connection. Nothing left to lose, it had been just a silly question. And all the despair in the world accompanied him into the void.

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