Fandom: The PowerPuff Girls (original version – 2002 designs)

Rating: Adult

Genre: Romance

Pairing(s): HIMxSnake, AcexSnake

Warnings: Slash, MxM, explicit sex, violence, rape, domestic abuse, language, Original Characters, mention of PPGZ characters (Znake, Ivy)

Summary: After getting tired of Ace's Not-Quite-Friends-With-Benefits and other abuses, Snake agrees to go on a date with his older sister's friend. The trouble is, her friend is none other than His Infernal Majesty – otherwise known as HIM. Is Snake jumping from bad to worse, and just how is Ace going to react when he finds out?

Disclaimer: The characters within this story are the creative property of Craig McCracken, with the exceptions of Belinda Ingleberry and Dr Hitomi Ingleberry, who remain my own characters, and Znake and Ivy, who are male/female versions of the same character, and are the property of the PPGZ creators. The idea to separate them as twin siblings is my personal headcanon.

Chapter 4 – Snake – A Date With A Devil

Chapter-Specific Warnings: M/M, language, shounen-ai.

He was not going to let Ace ruin his mood, but trust him to try. First he outright accused Snake of committing incest with his older sister, and then had the nerve to call him a whore! As if he had ever instigated sex with Ace! It was always Ace who made the first move – he wouldn't have dared in case he got a fist to the nose for his troubles.

No way was he going to tell Blindie about this morning – she'd go berserk – even though he wished he could tell her about how Grubber, Billy and Arturo had turned on Ace after he had made the incest remark.

Ace had pretty much ignored him after their time in the shack, though Snake had caught a few sneaking glances in his direction. They'd been paired with a weird expression, almost like Ace was hurt that Snake had a date. Had he really just assumed that Snake was on some kind of standby until he wanted someone to have sex with? It would almost be laughable if it hadn't been the truth before HIM had asked him out. He wondered how Ace would have reacted if Snake had told him exactly who his date was.

Probablyss wouldn't have believed messs...if I hadn't been theress, I wouldn't have believed messs eitherss...

Once again, he began to worry about HIM's exact motives for asking him out. What would an all-powerful demon want with a sixteen year old, mostly Japanese teenager with green skin and serpentine features? Apart from the obvious, Snake couldn't think of anything besides his sister's friendship with him. As for the obvious...was HIM going to expect sex at the end of the date? It wasn't as if he would be able to refuse, for HIM was more than powerful enough to take what he wanted. He was far from being a virgin, had lost his virginity in Japan before he'd even heard of Townsville, but would he be able to endure the lust of a demon?

Sstupid Acce, I was excited for tonight before you opened your big mouthsss...

He finally arrived home to find his mother's car in the driveway, making him stop and stare in confusion. She was supposed to be at the hospital, most likely in Theatre elbows-deep in some patient, or showing another patient a series of near-identical charts. To have her come home early for two nights running was unheard of now.

As though his thoughts had summoned her, his mother opened the door and started to walk down the drive. She was almost at the car before she spotted him.

"Oh, Ssanford." She hissed gently, turning from the car to face her son fully. "Hello, darling."

"Kaa-ssan, what are youss doing homess?"

He let her reach over and kiss his cheek. Like everything she said and did, the action was genuine and well-intentioned yet absent-minded. Snake could almost hear her thinking about whatever she was planning to do next even as her lips brushed against his scales.

"I brought ssome filesss home lasst night, but with your ssisster'ss little...incident I forgot all aboutss them until I got to the hosspital. I have ssurgery in two hoursss and I want to look them over before I sstart. You knowss how I hate being unprepared, Ssanford."

Snake nodded, looking at his mother with resignation. Thanks to their matching green skin and lips, vermilion eyes, and straight black hair, he and his mother looked the most alike. He was amazed that nobody, especially the PowerPuff girls and Professor Utonium, had realised they were mother and son. Or they had, and had chosen to ignore it. After all, he was hated and regarded as a degenerate loser, while she was Townsville's finest surgeon and one of its most respected citizens. Why would anyone want to acknowledge that the two were related? It wasn't like the two were ever seen together.

"Ummsss, are you going back to the hosspital now, Kaa-san?" He asked, watching his mother skimming through a page of test results.

"Hmss? Oh, yess Ssanford, I am. I...sshould be back by nine if the ssurgery goess well. Belinda ssayss you have a date tonightsss?"

Surprised, Snake nodded.

"In that casse, I'll ssee you when you get backsss." She chuckled. "Are you alright for moneysss? Itss not right to go on a date without any."

"I'm ok, thanksss."

"Ssplendid. Well, have a niccce time, and make ssure you takess your phone with youss." She opened the car's passenger door and put the files on the seat. When she turned, she looked at her son and smiled, reaching to take a lock of his hair between her fingers.

"Your hair'sss getting lovely and long." She said softly, leaning over to give him another peck, this time on the lips. She straightened and tutted at her watch, hurrying over to the driver's side of the car and getting in. As she pulled off the drive, she gave him a quick wave before speeding away. Snake heard the door open, and turned to see his sister leaning against the frame in pink shorts and a white vest.

"You knowss, that'ss the mosst she'ss ssaid to me in about a monthsss." He mused.

Belinda rolled her eyes.

"She's had plenty to say to me." She groaned. "Mostly about my tattoo."

Snake couldn't help but laugh at the sulky expression on her face.

"Oh, by the wayss, Billy told me to tellss you he ssayss hi."

As the bath was running, Snake was rummaging through his wardrobe while his sister sat on the bed.

"I don't know what to wearsss." He sighed.

"Why don't you wear one of your special outfits?" Belinda suggested. "I don't think he's going to be put off by you wearing a dress – he wears one all the time."

"Blindie-kun...Isss haven't worn any of my dresssess since I was in Japan." Snake blushed, smoothing down one of the skirts as he did. "Vissual Kei hasssn't even been heard of over heress. Maybess if thiss date goesss well I mightss..."

"What makes you think it won't?" Belinda joined him at the wardrobe and started rummaging. "You should have seen the way the two of you were eating one another up last night...you almost forgot about your pancakes!"

"Blindie!"

"Seriously, San-kun, he wouldn't have asked you out if he wasn't interested."

"What if it'sss a prank, or ssomething?"

Belinda looked at him with a sad expression on her face.

"You've been hanging out with Ace for too long." She said softly. "You're seeing pranks and cruelty where there aren't any. You were so happy last night and this morning."

"I knowss, but...you've sseen a different ssside to HIM to messs. I can't help butss feel sscared..."

Belinda reached over and gave her brother's shoulders a squeeze.

"I doubt there's a point in telling you not to." She sighed. "Do you want to go through with it?"

"Yess, I do. I don't knowss what he would do if I bailed outss on him."

"Sanford, if you really don't want to go on this date..."

"No, no I dosss." Snake pulled away from her and went into the bathroom to check on his bath. Belinda sighed as she watched him leave, then went back to looking through his wardrobe.

After his bath, Snake began to feel confident again, though he didn't entirely appreciate that Belinda was still in his room. About a dozen items of clothing were strewn over his bed, and she was still rummaging through his wardrobe.

"What are yousss doing?"

"You said you didn't know what to wear." Belinda didn't turn to look at him, examining a shirt before putting it back. "I'm helping you."

Crossing over to the bed, Snake picked up the three dresses that had been carefully lain across the top of the other clothes, and pushed past his sister to put them back.

"I ssaid I wassn't wearing a dresss." He muttered.

"But you'd look really nice!"

Snake groaned, smoothing down the fabric of a skirt before straightening the hangars properly.

"I knowsss!" He replied, with an air of confident certainty that would have shocked the rest of his gang to hear. "Butss I don'tss want to dresss up sso much on the firssst date."

Belinda shrugged.

"Okay, so what were you thinking about?"

Snake turned and eyed the clothes on the bed thoughtfully. Belinda had picked each item from what he thought of as his 'Japanese' clothes - things that he wouldn't dream of wearing on the streets of Townsville.

He'd gotten into the Visual Kei style just before hitting his teens, and soon his wardrobe had been full of the lacy and effeminate gothic attire that his favourite bands – Mana from Malice Mizer being his icon above all – were so fond of wearing. The dresses had found their way into his collection by the time he was thirteen. In Japan, it hadn't been a big deal – there was even a club at school and students wore toned down styles all the time. Sure, there was an occasional remark that had stung, but they were usually from bullies or the terminally envious. He'd actually gotten all of his dates because of how he dressed.

But America was different: if you were wearing a dress and weren't a girl, you were lucky to get hurtful remarks. Luckily his parents had old college friends in Townsville who'd had the foresight to warn him, and the clothes had stayed in his wardrobe since he had put them there.

But then again, he thought, not all of his Japanese clothes had been exclusively feminine...

He moved an excessively lacy top out of the way to find the very item he had been thinking about. Setting it aside, he looked over the bed to see if the trousers he wanted to match were among the pile. They weren't. He turned back to the wardrobe and looked up on the shelf above the rail to find them neatly folded.

"Perfectsss." He grinned, giving them a little shake and holding them up for inspection. He retrieved the top and held it above them, considering the items together. Yes, he decided, they would go together just fine...

A little over an hour later, Belinda looked her brother up and down. With a grin, she clapped her hands together.

"You look perfect!" She squeed. "HIM's going to love it."

Snake looked down at himself.

"Yousss think sso?"

He'd chosen a wide-necked jumper, mostly cream in colour with silver-grey stripes wrapping around his waist, that left his collarbone and part of his shoulders bare. He'd twinned it with a choker, which consisted of a silver and crystal "S" between cream lace ribbons. A pair of grey-blue, bootleg jeans, which moulded to his flesh like they were sprayed on and embroidered with delicate silver peacock feathers, complemented the jumper just as well. Leaving his hat on the dresser, he had finally tied his hair into a high ponytail, leaving some to frame his face. He'd decided that putting any make-up on was overkill, but he'd re-applied his lipstick to cover the dark green of his natural lips.

"Youss don't thinkss I over-did itss?"

"No, not at all, San-kun." She reached over to brush a speck of fluff from her brother's sleeve. "Although, you'd think that jumper would be too warm to wear in June. It's like the weather forgot that we're supposed to be in summer."

Snake shrugged.

"It hasss been kinda coldsss." He agreed. "At leasst I have ssomething comfortablesss to wear...what time isss it?"

Belinda looked at her watch.

"Twenty to eight."

Snake started – he only had twenty minutes before his date! HIM had said that he would find Snake, which had been one of the reasons he had decided to come home in the first place. He had normally met his dates at the location – the cinema, or restaurant, but this time...

"I don'tss even know where we're goingsss..." He hissed softly, nervousness becoming clear on his face.

"Somewhere nice, I expect." Belinda mused, dipping her head to catch his attention. "Are you ok?"

Snake smiled weakly.

"Sstarting to feel realsss now." He admitted. He toyed with the end of one sleeve. "I don't knowsss if I'm exccited or ssscared. Doesss my hair look okaysss?"

They were in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. As Snake walked across to the door, the clock began to chime.

Before he opened the door, he checked his clothes to make sure nothing was rumpled. He felt his cheeks flush when he saw HIM stood waiting for him. The demon had ditched his usual red mini-dress and had instead dressed in a tightly fitted, dark suit, with a crimson shirt underneath. Judging by the fact that his trousers were only slightly looser than Snake's jeans, he had clearly also abandoned his usual boots.

He looked...he looked so good! Snake looked up from his appraisal to find his own appearance being subjected to similar scrutiny, and from the look on HIM's face, the demon was equally impressed with what he saw.

"Oh, my!" HIM's voice came out as an almost musical purr. "I wasn't expecting you to look quite so...delicious..."

"Ohsss..." Snake's eyes widened and his entire face reddened in response, not so much to the complement as to the way it was said. He averted his gaze as he tried – and failed – to suppress a giddy smile. "Y-yousss really thinksss ssso?"

He looked back when HIM took his hand in a claw. The teenager watched, slightly spellbound, as his hand was lifted to smiling black lips.

"I know so, my dear." HIM pressed a kiss to Snake's fingers. "Now then, shall we go?"

Snake, who's eyes had been fixed on his hand in the demon's claw, smiled nervously.

"O-Okayss." He turned back to his sister, who was leant against the counter, grinning at him.

"Have a good time, San-kun." She waved them off with one hand, using the other to pick up her mug. "Look after my brother." She added, a little more seriously, to HIM.

"But of course, Belinda." HIM looked at her with an expression of mock hurt. "I would hardly do anything else."

As he was led, hand still held in HIM's claw, Snake managed to call out a quick "Sssee you latersss!" Then he felt himself being pulled closer as he stepped outdoors, with HIM's other claw moving to rest against his hip. He had the brief thought that they must look as though they were about to start dancing before they were surrounded by pink and suspiciously fluffy clouds. He turned to look up at his date.

"W-where are we goingsss?" He asked, with only the faintest tremor in his voice hinting at his nerves.

"Just a little place I know." HIM smiled back at him as the clouds dissipated to reveal the front of a restaurant. Snake jumped a little – he hadn't even felt them move – before looking around them curiously.

The restaurant was situated on a riverbank, inside what seemed to be a massive cavern. Through the cavern mouth, the orange light of sunset shone through. The dark waters of the river ran so smoothly that it looked like ink. The front of the restaurant was preceded by a black marble colonnade, where flowering plants grew in elegant bronze vases between the dark columns. The wide windows showed the inside was lit by candle-light, with braziers lit in each corner.

"It'sss sso pretty..." Snake breathed, looking down at his clothes "Iss feel a little underdressssed..."

"Nonsense!" HIM scoffed, holding out his arm. "You've easily put most of the other diners to shame without even walking through the door."

Taking the proffered arm, Snake hoped that his face wasn't as red as it felt while he was led to the entrance. They were greeted by a centaur in a wine-coloured toga, who exchanged some words with the demon in what Snake recognised as Latin before they were led to a table next to a window overlooking the inky river. The centaur guided Snake to his seat, handing him a menu with a discreet bow when he was seated. Snake smiled and offered a nervous thanks while HIM was seated opposite to him. HIM paused to speak with the centaur, so Snake looked down at his menu.

He wasn't entirely surprised to see the menu was in Latin. He didn't speak Latin, but he did speak some Italian, so was able to figure out what a lot of the menu said. He'd been considering some of the mains when he realised that something had been placed in front of him. Looking up, he saw a tall crystal goblet brimming with a golden liquid, with its twin in HIM's claw. The demon was watching him with an amused smile.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were reading that menu."

"I wasss...ummsss...I wasss trying tosss."

HIM's smile twitched a little with what Snake hoped was amusement.

"I never realised you understood Latin."

"I-I don'tsss, but I ssspeak a bit of Italiansss, sso..."

This seemed to be enough, as HIM looked impressed while he nodded.

"They are fairly similar." He conceded, before leaning forward to rest his chin on his claws. "It seems there's a lot more to you than that pretty face, isn't there?"

"I-Isss...uuhh..."

Taken aback, Snake sat up straighter and looked around. Spotting the crystal goblet, he pointed at it.

"What'sss that?"

HIM smiled and lifted his own goblet, filled with the same golden drink.

"Nectar." He replied. "It's quite delicious."

"Ohsss." Carefully lifting the goblet, Snake brought it closer to his face and sniffed at the liquid. He didn't really smell anything, so took a sip.

Sweetness flooded his mouth, so much that he licked his lips without realising. He took a bigger mouthful and looked up at his date with a shy smile.

"It'sss sso ssweet." He gushed. HIM giggled softly.

"I'm so glad that you like it, Snake."

Smiling nervously, Snake looked out across the river as it ran steadily past them.

"Why'sss the water black?" He asked, looking back at his date. HIM glanced idly at the waters.

"I don't know." He replied. "The Styx has always been black..."

Snake's eyes widened.

"The...Ssstyx? Like...in the ssstoriess?"

"Well now, just because it's in stories doesn't mean it isn't also real."

"B-but that meansss...we're in Greeccce?!"

"Thereabouts, yes."

Snake sat back in his seat, too surprised to respond. He was in Greece, in a restaurant where the menus were written in Latin, on the banks of the river that led to the Underworld!

As far as first dates went, this was easily the most impressive!

"I'm...impresssed." He grinned, shyly taking another sip of his nectar. Looking up, he saw HIM raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"Impressed?" He asked.

"Wellsss...nobody'sss ever taken messs to another country on a first datess before."

HIM appeared to consider this, then looked a little embarrassed.

"Well...this is one of my favourite places to eat." He replied, blushing himself. "It never occurred to me that it might impress you."

"Ohsss." Snake looked around at the flame-lit frescos and classical décor, with the fine white tablecloths and baskets of scented herbs hanging from the walls and partitions. The restaurant was set out so that all of the diners were offered seclusion and privacy while enjoying the pleasant background noise from the others around them. What Snake couldn't help but think of as 'fairytale creatures:' centaurs, nymphs and satyrs, went from table to table dropping off or picking up dishes and topping up drinks. Somewhere, somebody was playing music on pipes while another played on something like a harp.

"It'sss lovely." He said softly, unaware that HIM had been watching him with amusement as he had been looking around.

"Well, that's very good." The demon purred, leaning forward a little. "But I didn't bring us here so we could admire our surroundings."

He made a point of sitting back and looking down at his own menu.

"Shall we order something to eat?"

"Ohsss, r-rightss." Snake looked down at the menu he had been studying before. He'd gotten an idea of what he wanted already, but still...

"Ummss...HIM?"

HIM looked up. Smiling coyly, the teen leaned over, and softly placed a finger on HIM's menu at one of the dishes.

"What'sss that ssay?"

They talked about anything and everything while they were waiting for their food. Snake told HIM about his time growing up in Japan with Belinda and the twins, the gang of friends he had at school, and how he had discovered his love of the Visual Kei style. In turn, HIM had told of his own siblings – Snake was surprised to find out he had a younger brother living in Japan, as well as a little sister called Angelique back home.

"Where doess your brother livesss?" He asked, but HIM only shrugged in response.

"I don't know – it's hardly like I would have to travel to find him. I just centre in on his energy and follow, like I would anyone else, and he would for me. Besides, my kind don't always get on with their siblings, so it's not as if I would ask him."

"What about your sssisster?" Snake had heard genuine warmth when HIM had mentioned her.

"Oh, she's still very young – for our kind, of course."

They had both quickly skirted around the subject of age, and HIM had told of his friendship with Boogie Man, which had started out as a rivalry, but grown into friendship from mutual respect. Some of the adventures he recalled had Snake laughing out loud – even clapping at the more outrageous tales. His reaction seemed to please his date enormously.

Their conversation continued when their food arrived, although the tone became more subdued. Their starter was not too dissimilar to the sharing Antipasti dishes found in many Italian restaurants, and they polished it off quickly. Leaning over the dish brought Snake into close proximity with HIM, and he found himself enjoying the experience not only because of the food. The effects of the nectar, which Snake was suspecting was alcoholic, played a big part in him wishing the demon would close the gap and...

The...the fucksss?!

He was recovering from the shock of his unexpected fantasy when their mains arrived, which gave him the chance to sit back and consider the fact that he had just been wanting Townsville's most terrifying villain to kiss him.

He had chosen, with some help from his date, a salmon dish which had been dressed with lemon and oils. A tentative mouthful revealed the flavour to be delicious, so he tucked in happily. A few mouthfuls in, he looked across to see HIM also enjoying his meal and looked down at the dish...

"Ummsss, what'sss that?"

HIM stopped, and looked down as though he wasn't sure himself.

"Venison." He replied after pausing to swallow his mouthful.

"It'sss raw!"

"Oh, no, this is just how it comes." HIM skewered another piece onto his fork and held it up, almost as if offering it for Snake's inspection.

"HIM...whateversss that was cut off wass probably sstill breathing at the time!"

This made the demon laugh out loud, and he leaned forward with the morsel still hanging from the fork.

"I know for a fact that isn't how they prepare it." He proffered the forkful. "Here, try it for yourself."

Snake eyed the red strip of flesh doubtfully, but slowly leaned forwards. The demon smiled as Snake took the meat from his waiting fork.

The flavour was strong, but far from dripping with blood as he had expected.

"It'sss chewy." He offered, still leaning forwards. "It'sss a bit...ssstrong, but I guesss it's not sso bad."

He looked down at the dish.

"Sstill looks raw to messs." He murmured. "It tasstess nicccer than it looksss, though."

HIM raised a delicate eyebrow, his lips curling into a smile.

"I wonder if that's true of everything..."

Before Snake could respond, HIM's claw had tilted his chin upwards and closed the gap between them. The teen barely had time to gasp before their lips were pressed together in a gentle kiss.

Squeaking in surprise, Snake's eyes widened briefly. A blush stained the scales of his cheeks and his eyes fluttered closed as his lips responded. His hand rose to rest against the claw holding him as the kiss deepened.

It had been what he had been waiting for since they had started talking, and he was far from disappointed. HIM was nowhere near as possessive as Ace had been, not pushing Snake into reacting or doing anything he wasn't ready for. Though relatively tame – they hadn't used tongues – the kisses sent tingles through his body.

It felt like the kiss lasted forever, yet no time at all. When HIM broke the kiss, Snake let out a breathy noise as he sat down and picked up his fork. HIM licked his lips as he did the same.

"Well, I wouldn't have expected that." He purred.

Snake looked up, with a forkful of salmon halfway to his mouth.

"Wouldn't have exsspected whatss?"

HIM's smile made him tingle; he hoped he wasn't blushing again.

"That those lips of yours could possibly taste better than they look." He licked his lips. "Yet, somehow, they do..."

"O-Ohsss!"

Now he was definitely blushing! His free hand flew to his lips and his eyes widened. HIM started to chuckle.

"You are simply adorable, my dear."

HIM's laughter was infectious; Snake's lips began to twist into a smile and soon he too was chuckling as well.

"Sstop it..." He giggled, returning to his meal.

They finished their mains without further incident – or kissing – but there was a definite change in the air when their plates were cleared away. They continued to talk as they waited for dessert, but this time their positioning was more intimate. They leaned towards one another, Snake's hand in HIM's claw much as they had at the diner the day before. Their voices were much lower this time, and peppered with brief, soft kisses. Snake couldn't remember what they had talked about this time, only that he had almost felt disappointed when the desserts arrived and forced them to part.

He'd ordered a lemon sorbet, which had come served in a fine crystal dish with a golden spoon. HIM had ordered a plate of what he told Snake were dormice dipped in honey, insisting that they had been his favourite dessert growing up. This time, Snake politely declined when he was offered one, and he tried to ignore the crunching noises coming from across the table while he busied himself with his sorbet!

All too soon, it was time for them to leave. As they stood up, the demon outstretched a claw to Snake, which he took hold of. Hand in claw, they were bowed out of the restaurant by the centaur who had seated them.

Outside, the sun had fully set and the stars were out. Snake watched their reflections flickering in the inky waters of the Styx, stopping only when he felt a tug at his hand. He looked to see his date watching him with a soft smile on his face.

"I fear we will have to return now, Snake."

Snake nodded, and let HIM pull him closer. The teen snuggled into his side as they were once again surrounded by pink, fluffy clouds. This time, he wasn't as nervous and noticed that the air turned a little bit warmer while they were enveloped. When the clouds disappeared, they were back outside his house on the drive. The garage door had been opened, but his mother's car was still not there.

"It'sss freezzzzing!" Snake wrapped his arms around his thin frame as the cold night air hit him, trembling slightly.

"Oh, you poor thing!" HIM cooed. He pulled Snake into an embrace. "Is that better?"

Snake chuckled, and snuggled against his date's warmer body happily, his eyes fluttering closed as he returned the embrace.

"Oh yesss." He sighed. "Sso much better."

His eyes opened when he felt lips press against his forehead, making him look up.

"Did you enjoy tonight?" HIM asked.

"Mmm, yesss." Snake blushed, smiling shyly. HIM's grin widened.

"Then perhaps you would like to join me again another night? Perhaps the night after tomorro-?"

"I'dsss love to!"

Snake's eyes widened when he realised just how quickly he had answered. He tried to look away, but HIM's claw guided his face back to look at him. The demon was smiling, but for once Snake wasn't afraid by it.

"Just what I was hoping you would say."

HIM leaned down to capture his lips in another kiss, to which Snake responded eagerly. This time, he felt HIM's warm tongue slide into his mouth, and curled his own up to meet it. All thoughts of the cold fled from his mind; the shivers running down his body now from pleasure. He lifted his arms to wrap around the demon's neck, while HIM's other arm slid down his back, pressing them closer together. Snake whimpered as HIM's tongue overpowered his own, not wanting it to end. He had never been kissed with such skill before tonight; his body was on fire! The tip of his curly beard tickled his chin softly – it was something he quite liked, much nicer than the roughness of Ace's skin...

Eventually, they had to break apart for air, but they didn't pull away for a moment. They remained in their embrace, swapping softer kisses, until HIM reluctantly moved his claw away from Snake's cheek. Slowly, reluctantly, they pulled apart.

"I-Isss..." Snake's voice was breathless from the kiss "I guesss I'd better go inssside. My mother'sss going to be home sssoon."

"Yes, I suppose you better had, my pet." HIM sighed.

Snake nibbled his lip as he turned to the door. Part of him wanted to invite HIM inside to continue with the promises that their kisses had contained, but he knew he couldn't. His sister was upstairs, and if she had opened the garage their mother was definitely on her way home. He turned back to face his...lover? He was finding it hard to think of HIM as his boyfriend.

"Goodnight." He said softly. HIM leaned forward and kissed him again.

"Pleasant dreams, Snake." He replied, before stepping back and disappearing into a cloud of pink clouds.

Snake stood alone on the drive for a few seconds, with his fingers on his smiling lips, until the cold coaxed him to go inside.

Belinda was waiting for him as he walked through the door. He could hear the sound of the kettle boiling as he walked into the kitchen. She grinned at his expression.

"Well, I take it from the look on your face that the date went well?" She chuckled, laughing as Snake leaned against the breakfast bar with a happy noise.

"Yesss." He breathed, smiling back at her. Belinda took three mugs from the cupboard.

"Soo...are you going to have another date?" She asked.

Snake picked at his fingernails and smiled.

"The night after tomorrowsss." He replied, looking up as his sister turned to him.

"So soon?" She smirked cheekily. "Looks like someone was keen on you after all."

Snake's cheeks reddened.

"The...the feeling'sss mutual..." He whispered softly, untying his hair so that it fell into its usual style. "I musst have ssounded sso dessperate when I sssaid yess though..."

"I doubt it." Belinda shrugged. "Not when he was the one who asked you on a second date so soon."

Snake blinked, surprised, as he realised his sister was right. He brought the tips of his fingers to brush his lips softly.

"I guesss he did..."

Belinda handed him a mug of tea, leaving her mother's mug to fill when she came home. Together, they moved into the living room and settled down on the couch.

"So..." Belinda grinned, taking a sip of her tea. "Tell me all about it!"

Snake smiled down at his cup.

"Wellsss...he's an amazzzing kissser!"