Tender Hooks
By: Bucket/Replacement for the Stars/filthyfreedom

Chapter Thirty-Seven:
Smarty-Pants

A lovely horse is always an experience…
It is an emotional experience of the kind
that is spoiled by words.
Beryl Markham

(O.o)
Year: 1970
Date: September the Twenty-Ninth

Severus stopped himself from swinging his feet as he sat stiffly at the kitchen table, absently pushing his poorly made mashed potatoes around his plate with the tines of his fork. He had already eaten the over-cooked chicken his mum had brought back from the market and was diligently avoiding his father's gaze. Nessie sat just above the floor, next to Severus, and Severus could barely stop himself from continually glancing down at the other boy, just able to hold in his urge to pull the smaller boy's head into his lap and bury one hand in the mussed, silky-soft black hair. He had a vivid mental vision of Nessie kneeling at his feet, cheek resting on his knee, bright green eyes locked on his face, the loyalty Nessie felt towards him shining brightly from his pale skin. But Severus also knew that unless he dealt with Nessie delicately, that perfect vision would never come to pass, and he would never have Nessie just as he wanted him.

As Severus furtively glanced over at his father, he heard a tiny sigh and Nessie moved slightly, dropping his head into the depths of Severus's lap, resting his small fingers on the bridge of Severus's right thigh. Severus froze and then dropped his right hand down to rest on top of Nessie's head, threading his long fingers through the bright black hair and gently tightening his grasp until not even his father's blows could force him to let go.

(O.o)
Later

Severus limped into the tiny sitting room, one hand wrapped around one of Nessie's tiny wrists as he pulled the younger boy along behind him. Nessie floated forward and leaned his delicate chin on Severus's right shoulder, conforming his small body to Severus's side; Severus carefully sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace and pulled his boy into his lap, pressing his nose into Nessie's perfect hair. They sat there, sitting in silence, and slowly, Severus began running the tips of his fingers up the trace of Nessie's lightly protruding spine. At first, Nessie froze, but only for a moment, and then relaxed into Severus's grasp, making soft, contended sounds in the back of his throat. Severus tightened his arm around Nessie's waist, shifting the younger boy to his left hip and tilting his head down to nudge his nose against Nessie's cheek.

The younger boy turned his head and met Severus's gaze, the green eyes hooded with an emotion that Severus could not name, and slowly lifted his chin to press his lips innocently against Severus's.

His heart leapt; Severus automatically held Nessie tighter and when he tilted his head slightly and pressed his tongue forward to open Nessie's lips, some queer tightening began in his groin and at the base of his spine, and Severus could not hold in his gasp as bright tendrils of hot sparks boiled through his entire body, gathering primarily at his wrists, fingers, elbows, shoulders, hips, and knees, an unfamiliar and beautiful burning sensation that turned his entire body into mush. His groin twitched for a moment and then Severus felt a rushing sensation centered around there, that place that Severus had never really thought about before, and if he did think about it, then he felt it hardening, like nothing else he had ever felt before, and something curled in the pit of Severus's stomach, something twitchy and deep that he had never felt before. Nessie moved slightly and sighed into Severus's mouth; one small hand dropped down into Severus's pants and coolly wrapped around Severus's penis.

Later, afterwards, when Severus had fallen into a state that resembled sleep, Nessie floated behind the couch, staring at his hands. He had done it again, gone and made someone want him, just like he had done with his Uncle, and Nessie knew that he couldn't do that again, because if someone ever hurt him again, Nessie knew he had to leave, no matter how much Severus meant to him, no matter that Severus meant everything to him. It had to be his fault, his own fault that made people want him in that weird, disgusting way, and Nessie knew he had to change. Perhaps if he acted like he wanted Severus to do horrible things to him, then Severus would stop wanting him like that. It was the only logical explanation, really.

Nessie swallowed thickly, clenched his fists, and floated upstairs, shedding invisible clothes as he went.

Have no fear, Nessie's thoughts will not continue past the next chapter. Severus isn't as stupid as one might think.

Review Responses:
Gondegoogoo: Yes; however, you say let and I say make. It's almost the same, but not quite. Y'know, this was supposed to be a really light, fluffy fic about a kid Snape and his little friend that only he could see, but, whoa, it's transforming into something really creepy. But it's awesome and thank you for the review!
THE mlb: Yeah, I'm looking forward to the BDSM, as well. Yeah, I don't think Severus will wait until he's fifteen, but I can hope! And Wisconsin sucks; Colorado pwns. Thanks for the review!
-Zandris-: Thank you!!
BellaPur: This story will most definitely not be abandoned, or if it ever is, it'll most definitely be put up for adoption, with explicit directions for how the story is supposed to go. But that won't happen, I promise. Thank you and I hope you like this chapter! And longest review you have ever done? I feel honored. Thank you again!
melissa Ivory: Exactly. I agree completely. However, Severus was extraordinarily loyal to Voldemort until he heard the prophecy that referred to the Potters, and Lily. So we'll be expounding on that, and this story will have a much Darker Severus than canon; he'll be loyal to Dumbledore but that's about it. You'll see. Anyway, thank you for the review and for reading!
FoxyHottie: Thank you; neither can I! It will be awesome.
-Replacement