This was originally going to be three chapters, but I cut it down to two because I didn't know where I wanted the third chapter to go.

Chapter 2

She was going to do it. She was going to have sex with Solid Snake.

Well, okay, she wasn't a hundred percent sure, but that was her plan. Dr. Emmerich was already asleep, having practically passed out as soon as Snake had let them into his house. Snake had carried him to the bedroom with a fond smile, making Meryl jealous once again. Then he'd gotten in the shower.

Snake's house was small, just a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room/kitchen. But he did have a couch, which would be sufficient for Meryl's goal.

"Okay, time to get to work," she said.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the bandanna she'd wanted to give Snake, but then stupid Dr. Emmerich had given him something before she had the chance. She hadn't been paying enough attention to know what it was, only that it... was.

She pulled her tank top over her head, wincing when the movement hurt her gunshot wound. Briefly, her mind wandered back to the soldier who'd bandaged the wounds she's received from Sniper Wolf. She'd been young, probably around Meryl's age, and had also coincidentally been the same exact soldier who's clothes Meryl had stolen. She hadn't mentioned that fact to the woman, of course. What was the point? Maybe she hadn't seen Meryl's face, and then what would she have done. Though she did have a cold, which Meryl felt bad about.

Okay, enough daydreaming. Meryl pulled the bandanna over her chest and clumisly tied it into a knot. She purposely tied it too tight, which, while it hopefully made her boobs look bigger, came with the side effect of breathing trouble. She arranged the bandanna so that it covered... everything (but not too much) and smiled. Perfect.

Although... what if it was true, what Pyscho Mantis had said? That Snake didn't like girls? No, that was ridiculous. He had been flirting with her, hadn't he? Had he been flirting with Emmerich, too? Maybe he- no, she had to stop. This wasn't helpful at all.

Meryl groaned and sat on the couch. She wondered what Snake was into. Did he have any kinks? Meryl thought she'd be fine with anything, aside from hardcore BDSM.

Meryl was so lost in thoughts all alone that she didn't realize Snake had entered the room until he said, "Otacon's still asleep."

Meryl jumped.

Snake laughed, "Sorry. Did I startle you?"

Meryl twisted in her seat to face him. His hair was wet, and he wore sweatpants and a t-shirt. He looked... normal, not like Solid Snake at all.

"Otacon?" Meryl asked. What the Hell did that mean.

"Yeah. Hal," Snake clarified, which cleared up absolutely nothing, "...Emmerich."

Ah. Emmer- wait, what? Snake had a goddamn nickname for Emmerich. What the Hell.

"Do you... like him? Dr. Emmerich?" Meryl asked slowly.

Snake shrugged, "Yeah, good 'nough. He's a sweet kid. Kinda dumb. Intelligent, but dumb, y'know."

If Emmerich was a kid, where did that leave Meryl, she wondered as Snake walked to the fridge. He grabbed a thing of orange juice and drank directly from the carton.

"Um... what're you doing?" Meryl asked him.

"Shit, sorry," Snake said, putting the orange juice back in the fridge, "Forgot it's usually considered rude t'drink straight from the carton."

Damn. Meryl was getting distracted. She stood up, but Snake was still facing the fridge.

"Hey, do me a favor n' don't tell Otacon 'bout that," he said, "Kid seems like he needs all the Vitamin D he can get."

"You mean... Vitamin C?" Meryl asked.

"Huh?"

"I think you mean Vitamin C," Meryl said cautiously.

"Well, whatever comes from orange juice..." Snake mumbled, "That one."

Jesus. Wasn't Snake supposed to be a genius? But he somehow didn't know what vitamins came from orange juice. And she was getting sidetracked again. Great.

"Snake," she said.

"Dave," Snake said.

"What?"

"My name. I told you earlier, remember. David."

Oh. So that was what she'd missed by being jealous of Emmerich.

"Dave," she said.

"Yeah? What's up?" Snake asked, finally, finally facing her.

"Um... well..." Shit, he was looking at her face, "I'm... very grateful for... everything you... did."

Shit. She hadn't planned for this. She willed him to look at her chest.

Snake shrugged, "Wasn't like I had a choice."

"I... wanted to repay you," Meryl said, stepping closer to Snake.

"Not nessecary."

"Yeah, but..."

And finally he looked at her chest. Just for a second, but it was better then earlier.

"Finally wearing a bra, huh?" he said dryly.

"What?"

Oh, right. She'd basically confessed to him that she didn't wear bras.

Meryl stepped closer to Snake and kissed him. Hard. Too hard? Whatever, hopefully he liked it rough. She guided his hands to the knot, expecting him to untie it. She definitely was not expecting him to drop his hands back to his sides.

After a short time- too short in Meryl's opinion- they broke apart. Meryl reached back and untied the bandanna.

"Meryl, what're you doing?" Snake asked.

"What do you mean?"

"What is..." he gestured vaguely to her body, "This?"

"You know what it is," Meryl said trying, and likely failing, to sound seductive.

"You wanna repay me with sex," Snake said bluntly.

"You don't have to make it sound so... dirty."

"It is dirty," Snake said, leaning against the fridge, "Sleeping with someone who doesn't love you... in my experience, it never ends well. 'Specially if you want more and they... don't. I know how you feel, and... I'm sorry."

"Why?" Meryl demanded, "Is it 'cause I'm too young? I'm eighteen, Sn- Dave. An adult."

"Can't drink," Snake said.

"That doesn't matter."

"It does. I don't wanna have sex with you."

"Why? Is it 'cause of Dr. Emmerich?"

"Otacon's got nothing to do with anything?" Snake said coolly.

"But you like him."

"Don't see how that's any of your business."

"Dave-" Meryl started.

Snake sighed and pulled his shirt over his head.

"Here," he said, tossing it to her.

"What?"

"Put it on."

"But-"

"Meryl, we are not having sex," Snake said, crossing his arms, "Now, you can either put on the damn shirt, or I can knock you out and put it on you myself."

Meryl groaned and put the shirt on.

"Good," Snake nodded, "Mm... should probably get you some pants..."

"No, I'm fine," Meryl said. The shirt was way too big, easily covering... everything.

"'S cold," Snake mumbled, "C'mon."

She followed him to the bedroom, where Emmerich was still asleep with the covers pulled over his head. Snake went to a drawer and pulled out a pair of sweatpants, which he tossed to Meryl, and another t-shirt. He turned away to pull on the t-shirt.

"Tell me when you're done," he said, still facing away.

Meryl sighed before stepping out of her shorts and leggings and pulling on the way too big sweatpants.

"Done," she said.

Snake turned back around and fingergunned at her. Then he climbed into the bed next to Emmerich.

"So... I can sleep on the floor," Meryl said.

"Don't be ridiculous," Snake said, his voice muffled by blankets, "There's plenty of room."

"Oh. Yeah."

She climbed into bed next to him. Maybe she hadn't been able to have sex with Snake, but wasn't this more or less the same? Well, ignoring Emmerich, of course. She really wished he wasn't there. Maybe she still had a chance.

Meryl was the first one awake the next morning. She glanced over at Snake and groaned. Sometime during the night, Snake and Emmerich had moved. Snake had his arms around Emmerich, and Emmerich's face was buried in Snake's neck.

Meryl flung off the covers and stormed out of the bedroom. She grabbed her shoes. She briefly considered grabbing the vest she'd worn the previous day, but decided against it. Instead, she went to the closet and grabbed one of Snake's coats.

As quietly as she could, Meryl opened the door and stepped outside, recoiling a bit at the sudden cold. Snake and Emmerich could do whatever the Hell they wanted, she decided as she gently closed the door.

Meryl just didn't want to be there to see it.