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“Snake to Pequod- package secured, requesting pickup.”
Venom spoke into his comm quietly, sneaking out the back gate of the compound. He rounded the corner and ducked behind a box, checking his Idroid for Quiet’s location. He cursed softly when he saw she was still on the other side of the base. He typed a quick message with coordinates for her to meet him, receiving a simple thumbs up in reply. Venom huffed out a small laugh. Even over text, she remained true to her namesake.
“Pequod to Snake- I read you loud and clear. On my way to your location, should arrive in T-minus 0200,”
After confirming with both Pequod and Quiet, Venom quickly left the base, narrowly avoiding alerting any guards. While a tranq to the neck would have taken care of anyone, Venom wanted to avoid any traces of them being left behind. Relaxation was hard to come by and if they played their cards right, he and Quiet would have an hour to themselves while they waited for Pequod. No shooting, no sneaking, just them in the wilderness.
Venom reached the rendezvous first and with nothing else to do, sat down on the ground to wait for his partner. He radioed Mother Base to inform them of the mission's success and Ocelot promised to pass the message along to the Commander. Venom ended their convo with a sigh, knowing Kaz was sure to radio himself, likely with critiques. He fiddled with the grass around him, taking a deep breath and inhaling the scent of the vegetation around him. He half-heartedly studied the landscape around him, looking for any medicinal plants he could bring back to base but gave up quickly. He didn’t like to admit it but he was tired .
Venom frowned, trying to remember the last time he took a break. It had been nothing but mission after mission, Ocelot in one ear talking about morale and Kaz in the other griping about GMP. Sometimes it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and even his metal prosthetic couldn’t cope with the strain. Not for the first time Venom wondered how he did it before the coma, trying to recall his fuzzy memories of MSF. A fruitless endeavor as always, forcing the flashbacks would only lead to a headache, his shrapnel throbbing as a reminder that he was different now and couldn’t dwell on the past.
A rustle in the bushes interrupted his thoughts, and he smiled, calling out behind him without turning around.
“You know you don’t have to make noise on my account, you won’t startle me, Quiet.”
A cloud of black smoke appeared in his peripheral and he turned to see his companion joining him. She knelt beside him and prodded at his shoulder with a questioning look.
“My arm’s fine, Quiet, but I’ll have R&D inspect it when we get back if that makes you feel better,” Venom promised.
Quiet nodded, satisfied with his answer, plopping down beside him. How Quiet knew about the bullet that grazed him during the mission, despite not being anywhere near him, Venom didn’t know. But he knew better than to question her sixth sense when it came to him. They had some sort of connection, one that let him know what she was saying without needing any actual words and that let her know what went on in and outside his head without actually being there. The pair sat in silence for a while until their stillness was interrupted by the beeping of Venom’s Idroid. Venom accepted the call but before he could even speak, the sound of Kaz yelling came through the communicator.
Quiet made a face at the sound of Kaz’s voice and wandered off, unable to stand his presence even over the comm. Secretly, Venom wished he could leave this conversation as well, he hated the constant scolding and bitter words that seemed to dominate each conversation he had with the Commander. While his memories of everything else before the coma were fuzzy, the few clear memories all contained a carefree Kaz, one who was kind above all else. A far cry from the cynical man he worked with now. He hummed along as the man berated him, waiting him out. Once he seemingly tired himself out he ended the call with an offhanded “Get back safe, Boss. I’ll brief you tomorrow on your next mission.”
Venom stared at his phone long after he hung up, trying to make sense of the feelings swirling in his chest. Before he could get too wrapped up in his complicated feelings for the commander, Quiet reappeared next to him. She had a pile of plants in her hands, some with flowers and some without. Venom reached over to grab one to examine but Quiet slapped his hand away with a light glare. She turned her back to him as she fiddled with them and Venom knew better than to push his luck and look over her shoulder. He sighed and pulled out his pack to reorganize while they waited.
Venom had reorganized his pack twice, cleaned his gun, cleaned Quiet’s gun, and was about to start reorganizing his pack a third time, when Quiet finally turned to face him again, holding her hands behind her back. He quirked a questioning brow at her but she closed her eyes exaggeratedly, indicating he should do the same. Venom closed his eyes easily and waited. He felt something light placed into his hands and waited for Quiet to settle back next to him before opening his eyes to look.
An intricate plant circlet rested on his palms, grass and flowers woven together skillfully. Venom appraised the piece, gently moving it so he didn’t damage the delicate gift. He felt a warmth bloom in his chest. Such pretty things didn’t belong in battle, shouldn’t be given to someone like him. And yet he was lucky enough to have someone who took the time to give him something to cherish. He looked over at Quiet who was studying his reaction intensely. She smiled softly at him and motioned for him to wear it. Venom instead placed the crown on her head, hand sliding to cup her face.
“I think it looks better on you,” Venom murmured against her mouth before pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.
Quiet preened a little under his gaze and Venom thought she looked beautiful. He made a note to ask Ocelot how to preserve flowers once they returned to base. He never wanted to lose this precious gift.