#bosseleva

She was laid out on the sand next to him. With one knee bent, she rubbed sunscreen on her bare leg. Eva sported red “hot pants” this morning, very popular with all the pretty girls in the states these days. Soldiers sparring on the beach ahead of them were practically tripping over themselves to catch a glance at her. She found distracting them to be a fun little hobby while the two of them were visiting the MSF base. And that Miller was no exception.

Eva nudged Adam’s leg, offering a sip of her water. He shook his head and felt her frown without even turning towards her.

“Snake is finally going to give us a proper tour today. Did you hear?” She offered, and maybe she thought that’d make him feel better. Or at least pull him out of this foul mood he’d been in since he’d met John’s newest play toy.

“I heard. Think he’s looking for our feedback?” Adam said, half joking. He rolled his sunburnt shoulders and finally looked away from Snake and Miller.

“Doubt it.” Eva replied with a smirk, handing him the sunscreen instead. “Be a dear and get my back?”

“Course.” He scooted closer.

Eva squeezed sunscreen into his palm and he rubbed it carefully around the straps of her black swim top. Her skin was getting awfully tan. Meanwhile, his cheeks seemed to redden by the day, and that had very little to do with being around John again. He’d hardly seen him!

Suddenly, Eva turned and plopped a dollop of sunscreen on the tip of his nose. He squeezed his face up like he’d eaten a lemon.

“What are you doing?” he complained, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand.

“You need to get out of your head. Have some fun.”

“What about a cramped military base in the dead of the summer screams ‘fun’ to you?”

“Plenty.” She grinned, beautiful and deadly. Her eyes shifted over to the men running drills shirtless on the beach; their skin tan and muscles reflecting with sweat in the sunshine.

“Sure.” He rolled his eyes.

“Listen, kitty. There’s plenty of fun to be had once you let go of some of those tight structures up there.” She tapped his forehead now, with more sunscreen. He scowled, but let her rub it into his skin and down his burning cheeks.

As she was finishing up, they were alerted to the sound of two pairs of shoes approaching them in the sand. Adam glanced up to see Snake towering over them, the sun eclipsing his bearded face. He wiped sweat from his forehead and smirked, kind of dumbly.

Miller was by his side, per usual, but Ocelot didn't pay him any mind.

“Hey, you two,” John said, a bit monotone but warm all the same. “We’re loading up if you’re ready.”

Kaz, as John affectionately calls him, extended a hand down to Eva who smiled and took it like a princess. Ocelot stood on his own.

As he got to his feet, he was greeted by a flicker of stars crossing his vision. They cleared once he bent his knees and took a deep breath. This kind of weather did not suit him at all. His skin burned, his hair was constantly matted to his temple, and he had no appetite. If he wasn’t careful, he might even get heatstroke before the day was through - given how the temperature only seemed to climb. It’d happened to him before after all.

John and Miller led the way to a Jeep parked nearby. As they walked, Miller had the audacity to put an arm around John’s shoulder while he yammered away to Eva.

Wait. Ocelot blinked, an idea forming in his mind. Heatstroke would be the perfect way to get John’s attention away from this dog.

With more enthusiasm than he had since they arrived two days ago, Ocelot caught up with the group and climbed into the truck.

Kaz drove, with his bare arm hanging casually over the side of the window. Adam watched it wave to and fro as he explained all the thought that went into their location of choice. He didn’t really care, but Eva did of course. She was focused on information gathering, as she had been since they met the ever-talkative Miller.

The tour wasn’t anything exciting really. They’d already seen the barracks. That was where Adam and Eva had spent most of their time trying to keep cool over the last two days. Snake had offered up a cozy room for them to share. They’d gotten close over the years, of course. The pair had a certain commonality after all. They could be trusted to room together without tearing each other to shreds at least. The two beds were all they needed.

Next was the training grounds. Aside from beach front drills, the three Jeeps on the property could carry soldiers to the leftmost egress and back into the jungle where a clearing of trees opened up. The field seemed to suck in all the heat of the sun, positioned at its peak for the day. It had sort of a sauna effect that Ocelot didn’t even know was possible.

When they exited the Jeep to walk the perimeter, Ocelot could feel his limbs getting tingly and sweat coating his collar. He was glad to be wearing one of his thicker button-ups, alongside his scarf and gloves that he rarely went without. These garments would move his plan along much quicker. He had no intent on making himself miserable for too long. Efficiency was the goal.

“We run a few different programs here. Combat training, endurance, survival. Every soldier will be as equipped as the Boss to handle themselves in the field. Well, that’s the goal at least.” Miller smiled in a bashful way, flashing pearly whites.

What annoyed Adam the most about Miller was how handsome he was. He really was striking. It only made him want to push that sparkling grin into a brick wall.

“Quite a high standard to hold them to, Kazuhira.” Eva used his full name a lot lately. Adam figured she probably knew that turned him on in some way. She was good at pinpointing things like that.

“They’re dedicated. Everyone here knows their purpose. They work for themselves, for their goals and future.” Snake chimed in, a bit more serious in tone than the other two.

The group stopped to watch as an instructor had a squad of men pull apart submachine guns and rebuild them on a row of long wooden tables. They were being timed and if they didn’t complete their task within the limit, they’d have to sprint the diameter of the grounds and repeat. Most of them were decent, some were less than.

Miller led them on, showing them the next round of training happening on the other side of the field. Target practice. Adam itched to show off for the recruits, and John, but he had other plans in play at the moment. He’d save that for later.

Miller announced that they’d end the tour back at the beach, where the large wooden cabin overlooked the Atlantic. It was where they’d met with Snake and Miller when they first arrived.

Ocelot wouldn’t make it back there. He was running on fumes already.

He felt sick to his stomach, likely from not eating or drinking anything since the morning before. Even so, he wasn’t half as dizzy as he needed to be to truly lose consciousness. And Eva was smart enough to know if he was playing, this had to look real. It had to be real. He was already getting giddy just thinking of Snake pressing him into his wide chest and holding him steady. It’d been too long since those coarse fingers brushed over his skin. It made his heart flutter in anticipation.

So, Ocelot started holding his breath to speed things up. He knew if he did so in small increments and clenched his muscles with each step - the sun would do the rest. The key was making sure he was close to Snake when it happened. Timing would be paramount.

“Once we can secure additional funding, we’ll build up a more permanent location. Boss and I have been tossing around a few ideas.”

Jesus, does this guy ever stop talking?

“Of course, I’d love to walk you through them. I’m sure you’d have invaluable insights, Miss Eva.” His eyes were traveling her, it made Adam even more dizzy. Perfect.

“I told you, just call me Eva.” She smiled, letting her hips sway as she walked confidently in the sun.

Adam ignored them both and nearly fell over his own feet trying to catch up with Snake, who led the pack. The guns from the range rang out again and the sound seemed to echo in his head. He was getting close to his goal, his vision starting to blur pretty badly. He had to physically stop himself from reaching out and pulling on John’s sleeve to slow him down.

The edges of his view grew darker and darker. Maybe he’d held his breath a little too long the last time.

Adam’s head was pounding in time with his heart that raced to cool him down. Jesus, he was too damn hot. He felt like he was going to burn straight through his clothes. But John would save him before that could happen. It was time. He just needed to sink his lure.

“John,” his voice cracked a bit when he tried to get his attention.

That was perfect, it sounded so weak. But Snake didn’t turn. Maybe he’d been too quiet. He tried again.

“I… I don’t feel right.” He didn’t even have to overplay the whine that seeped into his voice, it happened naturally. God, he felt like a genius.

He blinked again at the back of John’s shirt, and his vision did not clear. He could feel his legs failing him, turning to jelly under his weight. But John was going to turn any minute to catch him. Wasn’t he? He’d have to be quick about it.

Adam felt his stomach drop as his eyes snapped involuntarily into the back of his head and all the ringing finally went silent.

—

When he woke, he felt significantly cooler. A gentle breeze was kissing his sweat ridden skin as he laid flat on his back. The ceiling was familiar, with its wooden paneling. It took him longer than expected to remember exactly where he’d seen it before. He was back in the room he’d been sharing with Eva and his head was elevated as it rested between someone’s thick muscular thighs. He could feel the coarse leg hair tickling his cheek as it peeked out from their black shorts.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” John’s voice, but more annoyed than Adam had heard it in a while.

And what was that? A hint of concern?

Ocelot tried to hide the smile that threatened to break out on his lips. But he’d be lying if he wasn’t overjoyed to find himself on John’s lap, of all people. It was just how he’d imagined it.

He was just a bit disappointed that he couldn’t remember John catching him. His timing wasn’t perfect afterall. He’d wanted to at least be semi-conscious for that part. But it was fine. He could use his imagination to fill in the gaps.

He wondered just how worried he’d had gotten when Adam finally went down hard. Maybe John had panicked. Maybe he’d wrapped him up in his arms and held him just like this. Like a handsome cowboy, throwing a lasso of strong arms around Adam’s unsteady form. Being oh-so attentive and protective, until he finally woke. It was just like one of his westerns, and he was the fair and sweet town person in need of saving.

“Did you hear me?” Snake repeated, and Adam had forgotten his initial question.

Damn, his head really hurt.

“Look, you have a concussion. When you fell, you hit a rock on the ground. Got a nasty bump.”

What?

“Y’didnt catch me?” His voice sounded foreign to him as it creaked out of his chapped lips. And his tongue didn’t quite fit in his mouth all of the sudden. Everything came out messy and slurried.

“No.” Snake shifted beneath him. “Kaz tried, he was faster.”

“Kaz?” He couldn’t even fight the snarl that bled into his slurred speech.

Adam tried to sit up out of pure irritation but got pulled back down swiftly by Snake. He tutted his tongue and kept one arm around his chest so he’d stay put.

John brushed Adam’s damp hair away from his bandaged forehead. His hands were calloused and rough and the way they made his skin light up in irritation tempted Adam to just turn away. But this was John, and he’d never do that.

“So what’s this I hear about refusing water and food from staff?” John asked, without accusation. “And look at your skin, you’re practically a tomato.”

“No, m’not.” It was a little pathetic sounding, but he didn’t really care.

“You won’t do this again. Got it?” Snake ordered, and Adam felt a pang of something in his stomach. Maybe nausea. Maybe embarrassment. No, not that. Just nausea.

“Dunno what you’re talking about.” Then he quickly added, “M’tired.”

“Well, you scored yourself a week of bed rest. Medical team’s orders. And you’ll eat, drink, and behave yourself during that time.”

This time, Adam did smile. He liked when John told him what to do. Not that he’d necessarily listen. But it made him feel important all the same. Better for Snake to spend his time telling him what to do, than Miller.

“Will y’stay and watch over me?” Adam nestled into the crook of John’s thigh, edging closer to a specific place he was well acquainted with. He purposefully breathed against John’s shorts, hoping the warm air would bleed to his flesh. John shifted his other leg, but didn’t move away.

“You know I can’t do that.” Sure, sure. “What’s gotten into you?”

“You have t’visit me,” Adam pushed, murmuring into the fabric. “If I get too bored, who knows what I'll get up to.”

Snake puffed a sigh but Adam thought he could hear a soft smirk behind it. “Fine. But, only if you promise there’ll be no nonsense.”

Ocelot turned to look up at him. He brought up a shaky finger to his chest and made an “X” motion over his heart.

A knock at the door was soft but it felt like it pounded against his very skull. Adam swallowed dryly and moaned in irritation, he was trying so hard to enjoy himself.

If Miller walked in that door, he’d maul him to death.

Instead, blessedly, it was Eva. She was fitted in a light shawl, with the night sky painting dark blues behind her. She relinquished the shawl from her shoulders as she came in wordlessly and tossed it on her bed. Then she crawled like a sly little fox onto the bed with them, curling on Adam’s left side where her back met the wall.

Gingerly, she pressed a cool hand to his cheek, then flipped it.

“Hm,” she hummed softly, mindful of his headache. “Still pretty warm there, cowboy.”

“He’ll be alright, he’s strong,” John replied.

Adam felt his heartbeat pound behind his cheeks at that. He practically melted into Snake out of pure happiness, almost losing consciousness again. But no, he had to stay awake.

“He’s also too stubborn for his own good,” Eva snipped. She was annoyed. He must’ve caused a fuss for her. “Thought you’d grown out of that by now.”

“Na’stubborn,” he slurred in response, fighting to keep his eyes open.

“Case in point.” Eva smirked and gave him a peck on his overheated cheek.

He was getting too sleepy. He wanted to enjoy this moment. The last thing he wanted was to wake up and find John gone again. He’d already spent two sleepless nights thinking of all the things John could be doing in that big cabin so far away from him. Most of all, he wondered why he hadn’t been invited to it yet. His head pulsed uncomfortably as he tried to get out one more request to John.

“Stay here th’night.”

“What’d he say?”

Eva seemed to understand. Bless her. “We’ll keep you company.” She whispered before nudging John. “Won’t we, big guy?”

John brushed his thumb along the edge of Adam’s jaw and trailed up to his lips. “Sleep. I’ll be here.”

Then John mimicked the motion from before, trailing an “X” across Adam’s heart.