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 10 – Ace – Public Rejection
Chapter-Specific Warnings: Language, racial slur, Violence, M/M, suggestive language
*Additional note: The term Koishii Hito is the closest Japanese translation that I could find to a term of endearment, meaning "beloved," "my darling," or "my dear." From what little I know of the Japanese language, they do not seem to share the same use of pet names as in other countries, but I wanted Snake to give HIM a Japanese one. I apologise if this is inaccurate and causes offense to any readers, as this was not intentional in any way.
Ace wished he had brought more than a can of soda; his throat felt like sandpaper and he didn't have any spit to help ease it. Gum would have been a good idea too, but he had been so nervous when he left his house that he hadn't thought to pick any up until it was too late.
He could hardly believe that Snake had agreed to meet up with them. When Arturo had suggested the idea, he had doubted that Snake would even pick up the phone! Yet here he was, stood outside the arcade and waiting to try and explain himself to the boy he had tried to rape half a week before.
As if on cue, the muscles of his back began to twinge in accusation. It was a lot better than before, but he knew he had a long way to go before he could call himself healed from the injury. He'd managed to take a glance at his back earlier that day; he looked like he'd landed in ink! Sleeping had been a problem until he had started to lay on his side, so that was something.
They were also near the pizzeria on the strip, where they had gone after he and Snake had fucked last - before HIM had asked him out. That had been three weeks ago, but to Ace it felt so far away from now that it might as well have been a different world. So much had changed...he had changed, or at least resolved to after the horrifying wake-up calls he'd gotten over the last few days. He still felt uncomfortable about spending time with his parents, fearful that they would try and talk to him about Snake – or 'that Chink slut,' as they now called him – and get him upset in front of them. How it had taken him this long to realise how abusive they were? Maybe their behaviour had made him feel comfortable with his own, no matter how shitty he had been, and blinded him to it.
He could sense that with the others, even with Arturo – his oldest friend. Though Arturo, Billy, and Grubber had been sympathetic to the injuries he had sustained from HIM's attack, and seemed to universally agree that he had been lucky to escape with this life, it was clear they thought he was entirely to blame for it. If he had treated Snake better – hadn't treated him like a piece of meat that was on hold to satisfy his lusts – HIM would have had no reason to lay a claw on him.
They were right; he had no business in even considering trying to argue. Every stabbing pain, still brought on almost every time he moved, was like an accusation and stark reminder of his actions. He couldn't expect them to absolve him; he was amazed that they hadn't abandoned him outright. In the comparatively short time that Snake had been part of the gang, he had made an impact on the others that was much purer than anything Ace had initially felt. His own poor behaviour to Snake hadn't gone unnoticed as he had believed. It would be stupid for him to believe that they were here for him.
They were here to protect Snake, even Arturo. They had been trying to protect Snake from him for some time.
"Are ya sure he's comin'" He asked Arturo for the fourth time. The diminutive teenager rolled his visible eye at him.
"Si. He text me when he got to the subway station near his house."
"So...when was dat?"
He puffed out his cheeks in annoyance, but he still pulled out his phone and scrolled through his texts.
"Bout...twenty minutes ago?" He turned the phone so Ace could see the time. "He should be here soon."
"I'm right heressss."
Ace had been so focussed on reading the text message that he hadn't been watching the street. At the sound of Snake's voice, he visibly jumped. Luckily, Snake was already engulfed in one of Billy's hugs and didn't seem to have noticed.
"Billy missed Snake!" The giant boomed happily, swinging Snake around. Snake laughed as he was set down, but didn't look in Ace's direction. As he turned to speak to Grubber, Ace noticed a very visible love-bite on Snake's neck, but there was no sign of the cut where his cheek had split.
In some ways, he felt insulted that the mark had gone so quickly, whereas the bruises on his back seemed to have gotten blacker and more painful. It made sense, given how much stronger HIM was, but it wasn't nice to see the proof so clearly.
While he had been moping, Snake was talking to Arturo but had made no move to come closer. As his eyes raised to look up, Ace found he couldn't meet them and glanced away. He could feel the gaze of all four upon him and he did not like it.
After what felt like an agonising length of time, he heard Snake speak.
"Wellsss?" His voice was cold, but not overly angry. He looked up to find Snake stood ten paces in front of him, hands on his hips and glaring coldly at him. His mouth was even drier than before and his mind went blank. He had been rehearsing what he wanted to say to Snake for days, but suddenly all his clever words and persuasive manner seemed to flee in the face of Snake's glare. He was terrified.
"Snake, I..." He licked his too-dry lips, trying desperately to find some moisture. "I-I didn't think you'd come..."
"Isss only camesss becaussse Arturo begged messs." Snake replied coolly. "Apparentlyss youss had sssomething yousss wanted to sssay to messs?"
"I...uh...yeah!" Ace stumbled over his words. "Yeah, I did. I-I wanted to...shit! Snake, I wanted to say I was sorry, and..."
He trailed off as Snake began to laugh.
"Oh reallysss? Lassst time yousss told me yousss were sssorry yousss tried to rape me sssstraight afterss! What are yousss gonna try thisss time?"
Ace winced, and hung his head.
"I deserved dat, b-but Snake, I didn't mean to..."
"Try and rape messs?"
"Well...obviously?"
"Hmm...Ssso tell me, boss," Snake spat the last word out viciously, "when yousss had me on the couch and yousss were trying to pull my clothesss off and kisss messs, what were yousss actually trying to dosss?"
"Well..I..."
"It'sss not asss if I wassssn't telling yousss I didn't wantssss to, and yousss knew I had a boyfriendsss even if yousss didn't know who he wassss."
"I know what it looked like, Snake, but.."
"I knowsss what it feltsss likesss too!" Snake snapped, but then his expression turned sad. "Not jussst physsssically, eithersss."
Snake's eyes were shining; once again Ace found he had to look away.
"Iss knew yousss didn't likess me, Accce, not the waysss I liked yousss, but I hopedss that youss at leassst had sssome ressspect for messs and wouldsss ssstop dragging me off when yousss wanted a fuckss! Isss hoped that yousss calling me a whoresss when yousss found out I had a datess wass jussst a one-offsss and yousss would calm downsss."
"Well...I never actually called ya a whore, Snake...not the word, anyway..."
Snake frowned at him.
"Nosss, yousss didn't sssay the word whoresss, but yousss made it more than clearsss that yousss had exsspeceted messs to be onesss for youss!"
"I...I never meant for you to feel dat way!"
"Oh, reallyssss?"
"No! I thought dat yous were just out ta fuck as well – honest I did."
"Or that sssuited you ssso much that yousss didn't ever consssider yousss might be wrong?"
This was too much for Ace to take, no matter how sorry he was. He glared at Snake.
"Well it wasn't like it ever occurred to ya to open yer stupid fuckin' mouth an say something, was it, huh?"
He regretted the words as soon as he said them. Arturo, Billy, and Grubber had all turned to stare at him in disbelief, while Snake's jaw dropped in brief, stunned silence.
"I triedsss...but any timesss I sssaid sssomethingsss yousss didn't like...yousss hit messs until I ssshut up!"
Ace's head dropped, shame burning his cheeks. He felt sick to his stomach as he heard the truth in Snake's words. He'd always shouted down the other three if they had ever said or done something he didn't like, but he had never raised a hand to them – he knew they would more than likely hit him back. But he had always slapped and punched Snake, sometimes without reason or provocation. Snake had never so much as frowned in protest – Ace had always assumed it was a Japanese thing, or that Snake even liked it. It had been so easy, like he had done it a thousand times before...
He hadn't, of course, but he had seen it a thousand times back home. His father was always slapping or hitting his mother for some reason or other. But she always fought back – saying or doing something to at least acknowledge her beating. Snake had barely flinched, apart from their first time, when Ace hadn't used lube, and had even seemed to forget the beatings once they got down to business.
"Whaddaya want me ta say, Snake?" He cringed at the tremor in his voice.
"I don't knowsss – yousss were the one who wanted to talkssss to messs!" Snake retorted.
"Well, I dunno why I bothered, seein' as every time I open my fuckin' mouth yous either laugh at me or tell me I treated ya like shit-"
"Dat's cos you DID, Ace!"
They turned to see Arturo, his head lowered while his fingers rubbed at his temple in irritation.
"What de hell, Ace?" He hissed, glaring up at him. "Yesterday yous was all about showin' Snake how sorry yous was over how you treated him!"
"Oh, so I gotta stand here an take shit because he's actin' all high-an-mighty?"
"Acting whatssss?!"
Looking up, Ace saw Snake glaring at him in disbelief, arms pressed to his sides and clenched fists trembling. Part of him was screaming to shut up, but Ace's emotions had backed him into a corner and he couldn't stop.
"Yous heard me! Ya get yerself an all-powerful boyfriend and all of a sudden yous start mouthin' off at me like ya somethin' special or some shit? What-did he fuck a backbone into yous?"
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Arturo bury his face into his hands.
"Ace...seriously...stop..." he muttered.
"Oh, nosss, Arturo – I wantsss to hear thissss!" Snake growled. "Isss thisss why you've been like thisss – becausssse I'm dating HIMssss? Or isss it becaussse I'm not sssso unbelievably grateful to sssit around waiting for yousss to get horny again and noticcce messss and decccidedss Isss desserved better?"
"Do ya honestly think he loves yous, Snake?" Ace snapped. "Somebody like HIM? Really?"
"Whether he lovessss messs or notsss, he still treatsss me better than yousss ever didsss!"
"Duhh, please stop arguing, you guys..." Big Billy's voice sounded so distressed, enough for Snake to turn and glance sadly at him. But Ace couldn't stop his next retort in time.
"Only while he still wants to fuck yous, Snake, then you'll be back to nothing with him."
Snake flashed a glare in Ace's direction, but his words were softer.
"If telling yoursself that makesss yousss feel bettersss, Accce..."
"The hell's that supposed to mean?"
"I meanss, Accce, thatsss Isss don't caress what yousss think about my boyfriend. He might not lovesss me, but what he doessss feel for mess at itsss worssst isss more than yousss ever did at your bessst!"
"Dat aint true!"
The ferocity of his shout was enough to startle everyone – Ace included – and his heart started beating so loudly that he could hardly hear his next words.
"Dat ain't true, Snake...I lo-"
With a herculean effort, he forced his jaws to shut on that traitorous sentence with widened, horrified eyes.
I love yous...
His hand, trembling with emotion, lifted to his mouth as though to feel if it were still his own. Had he really almost shouted that he loved Snake?
Did he actually...
Snake's laughter broke him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Snake rubbing at his temple, shoulders still shaking with his sudden mirth.
"Da fuck's so funny?"
"Did yousss really thinksss thatsss would worksss? You'd sssay 'I love yousss, Sssnake,' and Isss would runsss into your armsss?"
"I wasn't gonna say I love ya!" Ace spluttered, feeling his cheeks burn so much that he was sure his face was glowing bright red.
"Ssso what were yousss going to sssay? Becaussse I know what itsss sssounded likesss!"
"Yeah, well...since ya started dating HIM yous hear whatever ya want!"
"Don't yousss keepss bringingsss my boyfriendssss into thisss!" Snake shrieked. "It'sss not HIMsss who hasss the problemssss – it'ssss youssss!"
Later on, Ace would swear that he had felt as though his mouth had not been his own as he and Snake continued their furious back and forth, getting angrier with each exchange. It was as though a red mist had descended over the two, forcing out all the anger that had festered between them for so long. Neither he nor Snake would be able to remember, later on, the particulars of what they had screamed at one another as much as the venom with which they said it. It had been as though something had taken over them both...
"The Ganggreen Gang? I might have known!"
Ace and Snake shut up immediately, and the gang turned as one to see the PowerPuff Girls floating in front of them. The speaker – Blossom, given her obvious love for hearing her own voice – was glaring down at them as though they had just been scraped off her shoe. To her left, Bubbles was peering at them with a look of concern, while Buttercup floated to her right, badly hiding the fact that she was trying not to laugh.
"P-Powerpuff Girls?" He backed a step away from the trio. "What do yous want?"
"To tell you to shut up!" Blossom snapped. "We could hear you arguing halfway across the city!"
"And you were saying such mean things..." Bubbles squeaked. Her sister snorted.
"Heh, yeah!" Grinning, Buttercup leaned towards Snake and affected a look of mock confusion. "Ummm, Snake? What's a cun-"
"Buttercup!"
Ace felt a little surprised to see Snake's hands fly to his mouth and eyes widen as Buttercup was quickly silenced by her sisters. Sure, he'd heard Snake mutter that word under his breath a couple of times, but he'd never heard him say it out loud! He tried to remember what they had been saying, but he...couldn't remember a word...just that he was so angry!
"Eh...no problem, girls." He managed an embarrassed smile. "We was just about done anyways...right, Snake?"
He glanced across at the serpentine teenager, hoping that Snake would just agree so that the girls would just up and leave!
But Snake flashed him a venomous look, lips twisted into a furious pout.
"Assss far asss I could ssssee, yousss were done asss sssoon assss you knewsss youss couldn't get your waysss!"
"Fer fuck's sake, Snake!"
Ace's hand raised as he shouted, but before he could even realise what he was doing he found himself flying through the air with the wind knocked right from his lungs. He landed heavily on his recovering back, screaming through gritted teeth as agony tore through the bruised flesh. With tears of agony coursing down his cheeks, he managed to prop himself up on his elbows in time to watch the girls deliver a similar punishment to Arturo Billy, and Grubber.
Snake was the only one still on his feet. Through his tears Ace watched him surveying the scene, looking horrified and as though he were coming out of a daze. Ace knew he must have had a similar look on his own face before he'd been flung on his back...had Snake suffered the same red mist that he had?
Suddenly, the girls turned and flew towards Snake with clear intent: he was going to be specifically punished for the argument too! Ace watched Snake start to cringe, but he didn't try to run – they honed in on running villains like sharks honed in on blood! Snake's head turned away from them, eyes squeezing shut, as he braced himself for impact...
But it never came.
A few feet away from Snake, the girls suddenly stopped dead in the air with a noise like a slamming door.
"Wh-what?" Blossom's eyes were darting around, though the rest of her was still.
"I-I can't move!" Buttercup shouted, visibly straining against whatever was holding her.
"What's going on?!" Bubbles wailed. "We're stuck!"
A red aura began to glow around them, causing Snake to smile.
"Oh, I'm sorry, girls." A familiar, sing-song voice echoed through the empty air. "But I really must advise you reconsider your current decision..."
As they all watched, a cotton-candy pink cloud formed above Snake's head, from which a pair of claws lowered. Snake smiled as they wrapped around him, and laughed softly as he was lifted into the cloud. Ace felt his heart sink as he watched Snake disappear, knowing what would come next.
The cloud weaved around the struggling girls before raising higher into the air, leaving a trail in its wake. As it moved, they all heard a deep, almost sinister, laugh. Once it had gotten a distance from the girls, the cloud began to spin, getting faster until it dissolved to reveal HIM, carrying Snake in his arms like a bride. The demon seemed far more interested in the boy in his arms to notice them, but whatever hold he had on the girls was released. Unprepared, the three were propelled through the air, causing them all to cry out in surprise before they recovered their control and returned to their original spot. Upon seeing that they were unharmed, they turned towards their attacker...
HIM hadn't so much as glanced in their direction, nor had he looked anywhere beyond Snake, whose arms were wrapped around his neck.
"Oh, my poor little pet!" Ace heard him coo. "Did those little brats hurt you?"
Snake smiled softly, his eyes shining. "No, Koissshii Hito*...yousss ssaved messs."
Ace wanted to look away as they kissed, but his eyes were fixed as he watched Snake lean forward to press their lips together. HIM responded with clear enthusiasm – Ace saw his tongue gently coax Snake's lips apart, to which he saw no hint of protest. The sight was like a punch to the gut: it had hurt enough to know Snake was with HIM, but to see proof of how happy he was...
"What the-?"
"Oh my!"
Ace was grateful for the interruption, finally able to tear his gaze away to look at the Powerpuff Girls. Buttercup hovered in the air as though trapped in mid-flight, shock clear on her face. Bubbled floated a little way behind her, hands raised over her mouth and eyes wide with surprise. Only Blossom seemed unaffected. She hovered a little ways from her sister, watching HIM and Snake with a suspicious glare.
"What's going on, HIM? Why are you helping the Ganggreen Gang?" She snapped.
HIM broke the kiss with a look of reluctance, and smiled condescendingly at the lead Powerpuff. In his arms, Snake looked at the girls with an embarrassed smile, but made no move to leave the embrace.
"Helping the Ganggreen Gang?" He chuckled. "Oh, my poor, confused little girl...I fear you flatter these boys far too highly if you think I would waste my time on the-shush, shush, my pet – I don't mean it unkindly..."
He paused in his words to soothe Snake, who had begun to protest in defence of the others, and kissed his forehead softly. Snake pouted at him, but seemed otherwise mollified by the reassurance, so HIM returned his attention to the girls.
"You see, I only came here to prevent an action that would have brought you a good deal of suffering. Truthfully, I have done you something of a favour."
"What do you mean?" Blossom snapped. HIM smiled at her.
"I would have thought it were obvious, but given that you don't seem to see that...Snake is my lover, child."
This revelation did take Blossom by surprise! She stared at both of them, clearly speechless, while Buttercup stole a confused glance at Ace.
"You mean...Snake's your boyfriend?" Bubbles squeaked, finally lowering her hands to blink up at the demon.
"Well, given that the two words mean the same, more or less, then yes." HIM replied. "So now you know Snake is mine, you'll remember to be more careful in future, now won't you, my dears?"
"What do you mean by that?" Buttercup snapped, jabbing a stumpy arm in HIM's direction.
The demon's smile turned sinister, with his voice cooling to match.
"You're a bright girl when you try, Buttercup." He hissed menacingly. "I don't take kindly to those who mess with what's mine, regardless of who they are."
"Are you threatening us?!" Blossom moved into an attack stance, with her sisters quickly doing the same. HIM wrinkled his nose, ignoring Snake's worried looks.
"Of course not, child." He growled. "I'm telling you! Cause any harm to Snake, to so much as a single scale on his body, and I will make your loved ones suffer beyond imagining until they beg for death before your very eyes!"
The force of HIM's rage was enough to propel the girls backwards, and even Ace had to cover his face with his arm to avoid getting any dust in his eyes. When he was finally able to look back up he saw Snake still nestled in HIM's arms, but there was concern on his face as he was having a murmured conversation with the demon. It seemed that whatever HIM was saying was convincing though, as Snake soon relaxed and kissed his lover softly.
Ace lowered his gaze with a sigh; this attempt at apologising to Snake had been nothing short of a disaster...
"I don't get it!" Ace looked up to see that Blossom had regained her composure and was glaring at HIM. "What could you possibly gain from dating Snake?!"
Despite his low mood, even Ace had to suppress a snort of laughter as HIM and Snake glanced at one another. When they looked back, HIM began with an embarrassed chuckle.
"Even if it were any of your business, I don't think it's any of your business what I gain from my personal relationships. All the same," he gazed hungrily at the teen in his arms, "I can assure you that I intend to gain a lot more of it!"
Snake laughed at this, before looking up at HIM and nibbling his lower lip with an equally hungry look in his eyes. Without breaking eye contact, he let a hand drop from around HIM's neck to linger on his chest, the intent clear enough. There were not going to be any protests from that quarter, it seemed.
Blossom seemed to realise that a joke was being made at her expense and that she was missing something. She narrowed her eyes at HIM, but said nothing further. Without so much as a glance in her direction, HIM smirked and turned away, but not before locking eyes with Ace...
If he had been standing, Ace would have collapsed beneath HIM's gaze. Even laid out on the side walk, he felt his legs had turned to useless goo. The look of triumph in the demon's eyes, spiced heavily with loathing, was enough to strike fear into Ace's shattered heart and the message they carried was clear...
HIM's threat hadn't just been meant for the Powerpuff Girls.
He thought that the demon would say more, but HIM simply looked away to focus on his lover. Still carrying Snake in his arms, he lifted higher into the air before the two were vanished away in a cocoon of pink smoke.
Visibly confused, Blossom rounded on the gang, who were gathering around Ace.
"How long has that been going on?" She snapped, as though this were some master plan Ace had come up with. He let Big Billy help him to his feet, then shrugged.
"Coupla weeks, I think." he muttered.
"I think it's cute!" Bubbles squeaked, beaming innocently as Blossom's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Bubbles!"
"Well, it is! I think they make a very cute couple."
Buttercup looked at Ace awkwardly.
"I dunno...I always thought you were Snake's boyfriend..." She trailed off with what might have been embarrassment coming from anyone else. Ace didn't disguise his own regret and hung his head.
"Nah." He said softly. "I...never thought about it...like dat..."
His response seemed to surprise Buttercup, but he was in no way inclined to explain further to her even if he could find the words.
"So, how long has that been going on?" Blossom hovered in front of him.
"Coupla weeks." Arturo replied.
"As far as you know?"
Despite his flattened mood, Ace couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at Blossom's assumption they weren't entirely sure. He risked a glance at Big Billy, knowing the intense contempt that he had held Blossom in since the incident in the subway. Sure enough, the cyclops was not doing very well at concealing his distaste. Most likely, thanks to the natural friendliness of his open face, his expression might look like discomfort – or indigestion – to the untrained eye...or to anyone who hadn't heard him speak about the pink PowerPuke. Ace's specific dislike of Buttercup was non-existent in comparison!
"Nah, Snake told us when he was goin' on a date, just not who with." He replied, giving Billy the distraction necessary to forget his irritation.
"You didn't know"
"We ain't chicks, Blossom! Guys don't talk about dat kinda romancin' stuff!"
Blossom seemed to dismiss that line of questioning, looking away from them with a tch of annoyance.
"Well, I don't like it." She announced. "I don't understand just what HIM stands to gain from dating Snake!"
"Pffffthhppthtss?" ("What does anyone gain from dating?") Grubber shrugged as he spluttered.
"No, that's too simple...he must be gaining something...but what?"
"Well, I sure don't know – why don't ya ask da Professor or somethin'?!"
Ace was certain that he had just earned himself a second beating when all three girls glowered at his outburst, but instead, they began to rise further into the air.
"Well, we aren't going to get any answers from here." Bubbles reasoned.
"A-and besides, they're not arguing or glowing any more." Buttercup agreed. Blossom nodded in agreement.
"You're both right. C'mon girls, we've got real criminals to deal with!"
With that, they vanished into the evening sky. Ace paused.
"What'd she mean by 'glowing' back den?"
He looked back at the others.
"She meant yous and Serpentine, Ace." Arturo replied.
"Duuhh...yeah. When you and Snake started saying all those mean things you went all red and glowy..."
"Why didn't yous guys say somethin'?"
"Ace...we were trying to...but...I dunno...neither of yous were listening!"
"Pfffthptt pttthh ptpff..." ("It was like you couldn't hear us...")
Ace blinked.
"No, I didn't hear any of yous..." he paused "...actually, I don't remember anythin' of what we said while we was arguin'..."
Except for the part where I nearly said I loved him...