Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/13698507.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Metal_Gear
  Relationship:
      Liquid_Snake/Psycho_Mantis
  Character:
      Liquid_Snake, Psycho_Mantis
  Additional Tags:
      First_Time, with_feelings, Frottage, anon_request, sowwy_for_contributing
      to_the_'Tretij_as_a_given_name'_cancer..., reupload
  Stats:
      Published: 2018-02-16 Words: 2965
****** Jet Pack Blues ******
by PunishedPyotr
Summary
     Did you ever love her? Do you know?/Or did you never want to be
     alone?/And she was singing "Baby, come home"/I remember "Baby, come
     home"
Notes
     (updated author's note:) Haha so yeah OBVIOUSLY this fic is not
     "inspired by" biscuit, considering this fic was written about a year
     ago, long before I ever even met blackorb. I'm just including that
     for an easy link to an ACTUALLY GOOD Liquidmantis first time fic.
     Because... yeah... I never really liked this fic much. But it was an
     anon request, so I gave PP the okay to repost it anyway... I feel
     it'd be kind of shitty to just let it die... :/
     (original author's note:) Someone came to my tumblr and asked, "i
     don't know if u take requests at all or it's ok to put them here
     but……… can i get some really fluffy first time liquidmantis were they
     both exchange i love yous??? (bonus points if liquid calls mantis
     tretij >:3c) i'd ask on ao3 but……… i'm shy"
     Well, apparently I do take requests. You're welcome. (I like
     attention.)
See the end of the work for more notes
  This work was inspired by
      biscuit by hingabee
A few weeks before Eli turned eighteen he made his way back to the UK with the
end goal of forcing himself into the SAS’ recruitment process. Tretij tagged
along, all the way to this ratty cheap hotel room with one bed just outside of
London, even though he knew he couldn’t follow Eli any further than that.
I’ll be fine, he thought, I’m my own person now.
“Right,” Eli said. “You don’t need me anymore.”
Right.
Secretly he was unsure. The days when he relied on Eli’s will and personality
to replace or augment his own were long past, although admittedly Tretij’s own
disposition now was heavily based off of what Eli had subconsciously projected
onto him - for instance, Tretij was certainly more powerful than Eli, there was
no question about that, he had almost god-like (or at least demigod-like)
supernatural powers while Eli had only his speed, strength, and wit, but since
Eli had always viewed him as someone he’d taken under his wing and felt a need
to protect him, Tretij had ended up becoming very shy and content to hide
behind Eli if he wasn’t actively needed. All because he was a little younger
than him, maybe two years, and cute.
Cute. Tretij had heard Eli offhandedly think of him that way a million times
since they met and it never stopped being… strange. Perhaps not bad strange
(although Tretij couldn’t definitively say it was good strange), but strange.
“Strange? What’s strange?” Eli murmured, absently running his fingers through
Tretij’s hair. Sometimes, if Tretij wasn’t careful, Eli would randomly pick up
his thoughts.
No, it’s nothing, Tretij told him. You should sleep. Tretij didn’t sleep
himself - at least not very often - but nonetheless he was in bed with Eli,
curled up against him, head resting on his chest. They often passed nights (or
sometimes days) like this, since they often didn’t have room to sleep
separately and Tretij usually didn’t have anything else to do than watch Eli’s
dreams like a surreal television program. And besides, when he did need to
sleep - he slept easier with Eli.
He’d have to learn again how to sleep without his warmth beside him. He wasn’t
sure how he’d be able to.
Eli opened his eyes. “I can’t,” he said.
You need to. You have to get up early tomorrow.
Eli sighed. “It’s not that late.”
It’s past midnight.
“I’m aware.”
There was a pregnant pause. Eli shifted underneath Tretij, the hand that was in
his hair resettling on his lower back.
“Tretij, I love you,” he said, staring up at the ceiling.
It was the first time he’d ever said that out loud but Tretij was well familiar
with the feeling. I love you too, Eli.
“I’m going to miss you.”
I know. I will, too. He tilted his head back, tucking it underneath Eli’s chin.
He felt Eli pull him a little closer, wondering when he would see him again, or
even if he would see him again… Eli?
“Hm?”
Do you want to make love?
Eli jolted to a sitting position, upsetting Tretij and making him tumble into
his lap. Although it was dark, Tretij could tell Eli was blushing furiously,
mostly because he could feel his embarrassment over their psychic link.
“Wh- what??” Eli stammered, eyes wide.
Tretij looked up at him. Calm down. I know you want to in general, I was just
asking if you’d like to right now. The thought crossed your mind…
“I- well, it’s uncertain when we’ll ever see each other again,” Eli said,
unable to bring himself to add “if we ever see each other again” out loud.
I know, Tretij thought, this might be our last chance to do it…
Eli stared at him. “Do you want to do it?”
Honestly, Tretij didn’t particularly - he’d seen far too much of it in other
people’s minds to hold much of an interest in sex - although he wasn’t
necessarily opposed to it when it came to Eli. Kind of neutral about the whole
thing, really. Only if you do, he told him. And… I know you do…
Eli went redder, if that was even possible. “You’re a little young for this,
Tretij.”
I’m a little young for a lot of things.
That was true, and true for Eli as well. Besides, the two of them had taken to
using Eli’s birthday as Tretij’s, and they were still operating on the
assumption that Tretij had been ten when they met, so he’d be turning sixteen
in about a month. That was considered old enough in a lot of places — not that
Eli or Tretij had ever much cared for what other people thought.
“Maybe I’ll just kiss you and go to sleep,” Eli said breathlessly, and they
both knew that that wasn’t going to be how it panned out.
Tretij sat up in his lap and allowed Eli to, somewhat hesitantly, press his
lips against the side of his face, right next to the edge of his gas mask. If
only they weren’t so close to London, Tretij could have taken it off and they
could do this properly. But Eli didn’t mind. He kissed him again, wrapping his
arms around his waist and pulling him closer, and when Tretij tilted his head
slightly, he kissed his throat, where there was more bare skin for his mouth to
reach.
It felt kind of… nice.
Eli’s hand slipped down from Tretij’s waist to his ass sometime around when he
started using his tongue. Tretij made some small, somewhat appreciative noise
out loud, and Eli kissed him again, then tipped them over so that Tretij was
lying on the bed with Eli on his hands and knees over him.
“Are you sure about this?” he said.
Tretij nodded.
“Completely sure? You won’t stop me halfway through?”
Tretij nodded again, reaching up and pulling Eli down to meet him, nuzzling his
neck. Just don’t do anything weird, he thought.
“Weird?” Eli said, “what do you mean, weird? How weird can sex get?”
Tretij really didn’t want to answer that. Don’t hurt me, that’s all.
“…” Eli kissed his forehead. “Of course I won’t,” he said, “I’ll be very
gentle.” As much as he could, anyway. But Tretij figured he could handle a bit
of clumsiness.
Eli wasted no further time in stripping Tretij, peeling his clothes off and
shoving them aside, where Tretij psychically caught them before they hit the
floor and neatly folded them, placing them on the bedside table. Eli didn’t
notice that at all. He barely realized he himself was still clothed. He just
kept sucking at Tretij’s throat, grabbing his hips and pressing him against
himself.
Tretij clung to his shoulders, wincing at the friction. “Tretij,” Eli mumbled
against his skin.
Yes?
“I-I love you.” He moved down Tretij’s body, kissing along a long scar on his
chest, running the fingers of one hand across Tretij’s very visible ribs and
keeping him pressed close with his other hand splayed against his lower back.
Tretij’s gasp hissed though his mask as Eli tongued one of his nipples.
Eli… "Oh..." I love you…
Eli kept moving, down across Tretij’s stomach — his breath was so warm — then
his hands and lips reached Tretij’s dick and balls and Tretij’s hips jerked,
and he made a short, soft moan.
Do you like that? Eli thought (since his mouth was occupied), and he was
answered more with growing stiffness than with words.
Tretij nodded shakily, tangling his hands in Eli’s hair as Eli ran his tongue
across his cock. His hips unintentionally jerked again, thrusting into Eli’s
mouth, and Eli made a brief choking sound and pulled back, coughing a little.
Sorry, Tretij thought, embarrassed.
“It’s fine,” Eli said, tracing his fingers up Tretij’s dick, then kissing the
tip of it. Tretij squirmed, pulling at the sheets.
They continued like this for a few minutes, until Tretij was whimpering and Eli
had a furious erection tenting the front of his pants just from watching Tretij
squirm underneath him. Tretij held the sides of his head, dragging him up to
meet him, nuzzling his face and wishing there weren’t so many people just
outside these hotel walls so he could remove this barrier of plastic and
silicon rubber separating their lips.
I really love you, Eli, he thought, panting.
“I’m- I’m glad,” Eli said, grinding against Tretij’s erection, “I was w-
worried- you wouldn’t—“
Of course I accept your feelings, Tretij told him. He hooked his legs around
Eli’s waist, rubbing himself up against him, almost helplessly. They’re nice…
they feel nice to me, Eli. Warm. I love it.
“God, I love you,” Eli whispered, kissing his neck again while fumbling with
his pants, pushing them down and kicking them off, freeing his own erection to
glide it against Tretij’s. He moaned against Tretij’s skin, just loudly enough
that the guests in the neighboring rooms might have heard if they weren’t
already asleep.
“Ah… gh…” Tretij’s back arched at Eli’s body heat and the slickness of his pre-
seminal fluid against his own sensitive member. “Eli…”
“I think that’s the first t-time you’ve said my name out loud, Tretij,” Eli
panted.
“Mmn…” Keep going, Eli…
Eli kept going, thrusting against Tretij, his whole body shaking with pleasure
and struggling not to be so loud as to wake everyone else in the hotel. He
buried his head against Tretij’s shoulder, his breath hot against his skin —
Tretij held onto him, breathing hard, clawing at his back without thinking,
leaving long red scrapes that Eli would feel only later.
He whimpered. Please, Eli, he thought, starting to get overwhelmed, slow down a
little…
“T-Tretij,” Eli gasped, the rhythm he had built up faltering, “I-I’m so c-
close!”
I know, I know, just- not so fast, please, it’s too much…
The pace cooled, although Eli’s thrusts got much shakier, sliding against
Tretij’s pelvis without really trying to rub up against Tretij’s dick, and he
felt Eli’s hand in his hair. Tretij rutted against him slowly, trying to catch
his breath, rather unsuccessfully.
His climax caught him off-guard, a dazing release of pressure and energy that
he cried out at and left him still pumping his hips up against Eli by inertia,
his thoughts jumbled, sticky semen on Eli’s stomach stringing down to Tretij’s
because their bodies were so close.
Less than a minute later, just when Tretij was starting to let out pained
whines at Eli’s heated skin chafing against him - he felt pretty oversensitive
now - Eli also orgasmed, biting his lip to quiet himself, so hard that a bit of
blood beaded there.
A few moments passed as Eli stared down at Tretij, still panting, then he
kissed him, leaving his blood behind at the point where Tretij’s jaw met his
neck.
“I love you,” he breathed.
That was…Tretij thought, trying to find a word. It had felt good, certainly,
very good, but now that the thought about it the way he had- lost control of
himself like that was sort of scary and he wasn’t sure he wanted to do that
again. That was… thrilling.
“Did you like it?” Eli asked.
Tretij nodded tiredly. Thinking about it more, he decided it was alright if it
was with Eli. He couldn’t imagine this with anyone else, but Eli… he could act
thoughtlessly in front of Eli.
Eli laid down next to him and pulled him close, and Tretij tucked himself away
against him. It was almost scorching, where bare skin came into contact with
each other. Do you really have to go? Tretij thought, can’t we just stay
together forever?
Eli shook his head. “You’ll be fine without me, Tretij.”
But I’ll miss you.
“I will too. I’ll write, though.”
You won’t forget me?
“Of course I won’t.” He brushed Tretij’s hair out of the lens of his gas mask,
then kissed his forehead. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”
I know, Tretij thought, and closed his eyes. He was sleepy now, and still
sticky, but mostly sleepy.
He drifted off into slumber with the feeling of Eli slowly brushing his hair
with his fingers.
He woke up an indeterminate amount of time later to the sound of the rain. He
was alone in bed, but he still sensed Eli’s presence - Tretij raised his head
slightly to see that Eli was getting dressed and had already thrown his few
belongings back into his tattered suitcase.
You’re going now, Tretij thought, and although he wanted to phrase it as a
question in his mind it was just a miserable statement.
Eli glanced over, but didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Yes,” he said.
Tretij felt sick to his stomach. He pulled the blanket closer around him - the
blanket that he hadn’t fallen asleep with, Eli must have tucked him in when he
got up. Eli, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
“I’ll be fine, Tretij.” There was a short pause, then he shook his head,
thinking that Tretij just wanted him to stay but he wouldn’t stop him now. Not
now.
Tretij didn’t reply to that accusation. You’ll be careful, won’t you?
“I will. I can take care of myself, Tretij.”
What if something bad happens to you…?
Eli walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it, taking Tretij’s face in
his hands and kissing him on the top of the head. “We’ll meet again, Tretij.
Even if something bad happens, I’ll come back to you.”
You will? You promise, Eli?
“I promise.”
He stayed with Tretij until Tretij fell asleep again. Sometime later, he woke
up once more. It was still raining. There was a bit of money sitting on top of
his clothes, enough for a ferry across the English Channel and a train ticket
to Berlin.
Eli was gone.
===============================================================================
 He woke up in a veterans' hospital in London with Tretij holding his hand.
Only it wasn’t Tretij anymore. Not quite. He’d changed. Of course Liquid had
changed too, but Tretij - he’d changed more. He was taller now, and skinnier,
although perhaps he only seemed skinnier because he was taller, and he had
shaved off all his pretty red hair and was going by the name Mantis now. He
even acted different; he was no longer shy or passive in really any sense of
the words, and in fact, he was kind of a dick. Even to Liquid. But at least
with Liquid he wasn’t nearly as mean as he was with everyone else (his snark
and insults were almost playful when it came to him), and as desperate as
Liquid was for affection, he lapped it up.
And besides, he’d woken up with Mantis holding his hand, so he reasoned that no
matter how much he had changed he still cared for him, even if his only
response when Liquid tiredly murmured “I love you” was a hesitant “I know,” so
quiet it was almost lost under the sound of the rain against the hospital’s
roof.
He didn’t try it again after that. And when he remembered their last night
together before he left for the SAS, just in passing, and saw the disgust and
chagrin in Mantis’ eyes when he read his mind, Liquid finally accepted that
their romance had been unceremoniously aborted while he was languishing in a
POW camp in Iraq.
After Liquid was discharged from the hospital, they parted ways again, but this
time they kept in close contact and frequently visited one another. When Liquid
got the recruitment offer from FOXHOUND, as much as he wanted to join because
it was Big Boss’ former unit, he almost refused - unless they extended the same
offer to Mantis, that is. They had. Finally, they were together again, on a
permanent basis.
Liquid was still in love with him, and he still thought about that night,
sometimes.
Mantis eventually called him out.
“If you’re going to think about me while you touch yourself, you could at least
come up with a fantasy where I am not underaged.”
Liquid flushed. “Oh god, you were watching? Why??”
Mantis gave a very long-suffering sigh. “I do not know how to tell you this,
Liquid, but any and every time you think of me, I hear it whether I want to or
not.”
Fuck. Liquid put his face in his hands. His life was officially over.
Mantis rolled his eyes. “Calm down. Truthfully, I… can appreciate the fact that
you still love me, even after… everything.”
There was pregnant pause, then Liquid peered at him through his fingers. “You
can?”
“Love is a silly, nebulous thing,” Mantis said dismissively, “but I tolerate a
lot of ridiculousness from you, anyway.”
“…” Liquid dropped his hands and looked away from Mantis, feeling far more let
down than he should have, considering how long it had been. Tolerating his
feelings was a long way from accepting his feelings, and even further from
returning them.
“What does it matter if I return them or not?” Mantis said, taking Liquid’s
chin in his hand and turning his head to face him. “Eli, I still need you, more
than anything.”
“Tretij—“ Liquid started, then bit his lip. It had been years since he’d called
him that name.
Behind the mask, Mantis’ eyes narrowed in what almost seemed like it could have
been a smile. “I still think about that night sometimes, too,” he said in a low
voice, “and how you promised you would come back to me.”
“I did, didn’t I?” Liquid said.
“You did.” Mantis nuzzled him, and Liquid figured this had to be what Heaven
felt like. “I am glad you did.”
And later, Liquid would realize what Mantis had really meant by “I need you,”
and that maybe he hadn’t changed as much as he’d thought.
End Notes
     (any and all comments will be forewarded to aireyv! i will either
     copy/paste their reply to me or they will reply on their own account!
     have a nice day!!! if you have any questions, just ask!!!!)
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