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seconds-2-midnight · 6 months

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Posting the first chapter from my rejected PPG/GGG Mafia AU fanfic that I'm thinking of reviving eventually because I actually really liked it! The outline just needs work tbh

Most of it is under read-more just because it's long as shit. Content warning for language, drug use, and brief police violence.

Meet Me At the Green Eye

Ch 1:

June was unusually hot that summer. Those hazy afternoons were well spent by the beach, sitting near clunky old air conditioners, drinking cold beer. It was the kind of summer that was good for business if your business was built on laziness and leisure.

The boardwalk was a good place to score sales, Ace found. The grungy-looking college students on skateboards were always the best customers. He was counting a stack of cash, sitting on a bench near the end of the dock that overlooked a glittering stretch of ocean. One of his pointed leather boots was tapping on the pavement while he whistled cheerfully, one lanky leg crossed over the other. Not far away, Snake stood with his elbows on the rusted rails and a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, listening to the seagulls. Now and then, he’d kick his sneaker against a bit of gravel and watch the stones form ripples in the water below.

“Arturo was right,” Ace said with a high-pitched chuckle. He grinned widely, one of his gold teeth catching the sunlight. “This was a good spot. Hey, speakin’ of, how much product we got left in there, compadre?” He waltzed over with his hands in his pockets, nodding his head toward a messenger bag that was draped over Snake’s shoulder.

“Lemme check,” Snake said hoarsely, gritting his teeth around the end of his cigarette to keep it in place as he rummaged around. He squinted, clicking his tongue in thought. “Ehh…eight ouncesss, give or take…three bags of molly…and five bags of the little blue ones.”

“Shit, day’s not over yet,” Ace said, giving his friend a nudge to the shoulder. He elbowed him a little too hard, causing Snake to flinch and whine quietly. He hated it when he did that. “Can’t wait to count it out later. We got a big score today, I can feel it already. It’s like a change in the wind. We’ll finally get enough for that down payment, huh?”

Not this again. Snake rolled his eyes, thin shoulders slumped dramatically. Ace was always going on and on about this shitty old building that used to be a nightclub, convinced the old owners would sell it to him for cheap and he’d turn it into a bar. ‘We’ll call it The Green Eye’, Ace would say, ‘We’ll get hot dancers, we’ll sell our product out the back for extra cash, it’ll be huge.’ Snake thought it was a fool’s errand, a waste of money. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to argue with Ace. Still his yes-man, through and through, after all these years.

A decade had passed since the Powerpuff Girls left Townsville. Maybe it was because they were growing up, maybe it was because they wanted to try a normal life…who knows? What mattered was that Townsville was more out of control than ever before. And in that time, the Gangreen Gang had changed. Once a group of rowdy teenage boys, they were now fully-grown assholes, but just as despicable as ever. They had bigger goals now, bigger plans - Ace wanted to carve out his own little slice of heaven in this dirty, neon hellscape. And for the first time, it actually seemed possible…but a run-down building in the worst part of town was a dangerous place to start.

“Y’know, jefe…” Snake began nervously, wincing already. He knew this conversation would end badly for him. “I-I don’t wanna doubt your decisionsss but…Maybe it’s better if we start sssmall? Like, getting a bigger apartment for starters. Or renting a houssse instead, one with more bedrooms and–”

Ace scoffed. “And sink our money into a place that Billy’s gonna wreck in, like, a week? Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, this is foolproof. Once the money’s rollin’ in, we’re moving up to a penthouse suite. Rags to riches, my friend. Oh! That reminds me… Hey, listen, bud. Buddy. Pal. My oldest friend. Amigo, old bean, apple of my eye…” Ace was wearing a big toothy grin, putting an arm around his second-in-command with a sly tone of voice and the smell of cheap cologne and hair gel radiating off of him. Snake grinned for a brief second in time, soaking up that tiny bit of approval.

“Since we’re on the subject, I’ve got somewhere to be, actually - gonna talk to a guy about fixin’ the plumbing at that old place. Busted pipe in the basement, sewage everywhere! Anywho’s, take over for me, will ya? Thatta' boy...” Ace gave Snake another sharp slap to the arm, making the other man flinch. It was second nature at this point. With a grimace disguised as an awkward, snaggle-toothed smile, Snake rubbed the sore spot and sighed.

“Yeah, sure.” Of course he just wants me to do more work. “Oh, I’m stoppin’ by Hazel’s shop on the way back, by the way. Tell the guys not to wait up for me.”

Ace scoffed, sticking his hands in the pockets of his leather pants. He rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, voicing a heavy and exasperated groan. “Man, that dame has still got you on a tight leash, huh? Y’know she only lets you get it in ‘cause you’re her dealer.”

Snake gave him a grumpy, defensive frown, his ears growing warm. “We don’t…I mean…I’m still working on that part–”

Ace let out a loud and sudden laugh. “You ain’t even gettin’ any? Oh, man…tough luck.” He pushed up his sunglasses, still wearing a shit-eating grin as he turned around, waving the keys to his motorcycle over his head. “Anyway, see you later tonight, Captain Friendzone. And tell your creepy friend I said ‘hi’.”

With that, he was gone, the green-skinned hooligan disappearing into a crowd of people and leaving Snake at the end of the docks alone, where he watched the sunset glimmer against the calm ocean waves. It was six-thirty. He was just about to get another rush of sales that would put a nice wad of cash in his pockets.

He didn’t know it yet, but Snake was going to have a very good day that would end in a very bad night. In a matter of hours, he would make his rent for the month, kiss a witch, and end up in jail before midnight.

He was a surprisingly good salesman, all things considered. By the time the sun went down and the crowds dispersed, Snake had sold everything in the bag except for one remaining quarter of Hazel’s favorite strain. He took the cash and his nearly empty bag and began the long walk through dark urban streets. Townsville wasn’t any quieter at night than it was in the day. He could hear sirens blaring somewhere in the distance, joyful shouts and hollering from a beach bonfire, and loud pulsing music from the clubs down the way.

Snake liked walking late at night, for the most part. It was a lonely and peaceful trip when you knew the right path to take. He passed flickering neon signs and drunk idiots staggering out of bars, all while making his way through alley shortcuts to get to the big brick building just next to the tracks where the occasional passing train would rattle the windows.

Yasmin’s shop was closed to walk-ins but open for appointments. This was good enough for him. Snake knocked, hearing the muffled sounds of ethereal ambient music from the other side before voices and footsteps drowned it out. The door cracked open and immediately, Snake caught the scent of burning incense and dried lavender. When the owner of the place opened the door, her good mood immediately deflated.

“Oh, it’s you,” Yasmin Abajian herself was the one who answered the door. She was a tall young woman with dark olive skin and hair that went down to her ass, and she probably would have been a lot friendlier if she didn’t eye Snake with suspicion every time she saw him. She knew his reputation, his gang involvement, his business. And if that wasn't enough, she just didn't like the guy. His weird little friendship with her on-and-off-again girlfriend was reason enough for her to want to slam the door in his face.

“If you’re looking for Haze, she’s busy doing a reading,” Yasmin said, holding the door open just a crack and preparing to shut it. She would have, if Snake didn't stick his hand in the gap.

“I can wait.” He leaned against the wall as if claiming his spot. Yasmin sneered at him in response, recognizing that stubborn, snarky grin on his face - she wasn’t getting rid of him. She could never get rid of him.

“Fine, whatever, get in.” She pushed the door open and stepped aside. “But remember, we’ve got security cameras now. So don't get any ideas.”

Snake snorted with laughter. “I’m not gonna steal any of your rocks. You can save your hexes for the next guy.”

Yasmin wore a fake smile, turning back toward the counter. “Yeah, you’re real funny, asshole. Close the door behind you.”

Yasmin’s shop was an overload to the senses. The main room was cluttered with tables of crystals, ornate hookahs, statues of naked goddesses, and candles. There were bookshelves with texts that Snake wouldn’t even know what to do with and packs of cards that he felt wouldn’t serve him very well in a game of poker. Near the back of the room, he saw a doorway shrouded by a silk sheet decorated with the phases of the moon. That was Hazel’s reading room. He spent plenty of time in there, but right now, she was busy saying goodbye to another customer.

When Hazel came out of the room, she was followed by a middle-aged woman dressed in a gaudy amount of jewelry. Beside Hazel, it was like a peacock standing next to a blackbird. Haze was a stout little shit: full-figured, plump, and about five feet tall if she wore her platform shoes. Her wavy black hair was cut in a French bob, framing her round, rosy-cheeked face like a goth Cabbage Patch Kid.

“Get home safe, my love,” Hazel said, giving the other woman a kiss on one cheek and then the other, holding both of her hands. “Remember, change is good. Don’t worry so much, and good luck with the job interview! Keep that coin in your pocket, it’ll help. Then come back and tell me how it went, okay?”

“Maybe next week,” the lady chuckled. “Thanks again, sweetpea.” The woman in her gaudy jewelry finally left after one more kiss on the cheek, and Snake found himself wondering why Hazel seemed to kiss all of her regular customers… except for him.

When the customer passed by, Yasmin marched over with a scowl and spoke quietly in Hazel’s ear, handing her a white cane. Snake could still hear her.

“That green freak is here again,” Yasmin whispered, earning a pout from her friend. “Honey, you gotta stop encouraging this guy, he’s gonna get you in tr–”

“Shh, it’s fine! Hold my cane, okay?” Instead of looking offended, Hazel just wore this big, stupid gap-toothed grin. Slipping past Yasmin, Hazel pushed her cane back into her friend’s hands and reached out into the open room, wiggling her fingers in beckoning. Snake instinctively grabbed them, leading her to where he stood.

“Mi querida,” she said in her breathy, husky voice, pulling him in for a hug and standing on her toes. She smelled like patchouli and it made Snake’s nose tickle. “I thought you forgot about me. How’ve you been?”

“Not too terrible,” Snake said. He wore a shit-eating grin as he hugged her tightly, making eye contact with Yasmin over Hazel’s shoulder. He noticed her annoyed, red-faced expression and squeezed her waist even tighter out of spite. “I was, uh, workin’ the boardwalk again today…Thought I’d stop by quick before you left for the night.”

“You caught me right on time.” Hazel backed up, reaching for the cloth that separated the main room from her reading room. “Come in, that was my last appointment for the night. I’m all yours.”

She pulled him along by the hand and he didn’t hesitate. Bag secured around his shoulder, he rudely flicked his tongue at Yasmin and then hurried through the silk partition and into a small, dark room with a round table in the center. It was lit by purple neon light, casting an eerie supernatural shine from below. The air smelled like incense and something by Sisters of Mercy was playing quietly from a speaker in the corner.

Seeing the couch against the wall brought back memories of lounging half-awake in a dumb stupor, losing track of time. He could still smell the hookah smoke in his memory and taste it on his tongue. He thought about how Hazel always talked slower when she was high and how much he liked to watch her lips move when she talked.

Her voice snapped him out of his daydream.

“So what’s up?” Hazel asked, sitting down on one side of the table. She started to shuffle a deck of tarot cards, sorting them for storage. “Just in the neighborhood, or were you looking for another reading?”

“Little bit of both,” Snake said with a grin, putting his bag on the table. “I brought you sssomething’. Thought you might be interested in talking about a discount?”

“Oh, we’re talkin’ business. I see,” Hazel teased, her voice low and rattly. She pouted dramatically. “And here I thought you just missed me. So what’cha got for me, sweet stuff?”

Sweet stuff. She was always coming up with these friendly, cute little names to call him. He was a green-skinned gang member with a forked tongue, tattoos, and a criminal record a mile long but she called him sweet stuff. Then again, she couldn’t see him. Maybe that was for the best - he wasn’t so sure she’d still be flirting with him if she saw what he looked like.

Snake put a plastic baggie on the table, opening it slightly for Hazel to smell if she wanted to. “A quarter. Good shit, too. I’d put it at 150 usually for this stuff, but for you, I’ll do…100 and a quick reading. I even saved your favorite strain for you.”

“Oh, you do love me,” Hazel smirked out of the corner of her mouth, puffy lips making a dimple in one cheek. “That sounds fair. You know what I like, papi~ Oh, here–”

She reached into one of her pockets, pulling out a wad of cash from her last few clients. “I trust you,” she said as she slapped it down on the table in front of Snake, who began to flick through the bills with black-painted fingernails. He separated one hundred dollars from the stack and passed the rest over, continuously amazed that this woman trusted him with free reign to her wallet on so many occasions.

“Ssso,” Snake lowered his lisping voice, chuckling quietly under his breath while Hazel shuffled her cards, “Yasmin’s in a rotted mood today, isn’t she? More than usual…You dump her ass again?”

Hazel wore a tiny smirk. “Not me this time. We're back to friendship without benefits and Yasmin wants to find a real girlfriend,” she shook her head with a sigh. No strings attached, that’s what she always said it was. Snake wouldn’t admit it, but he felt a little swell of joy at the news. “Girl from downtown. Works at the club. They danced together a couple of times and Yasmin was surprised she didn’t want anything long-term.”

“Ouch,” Snake grimaced. He didn’t like Yasmin, but he could sympathize with the feeling.

“Aside from that?” Hazel shrugged. “Doesn't help your case that she saw your friend on the news earlier.”

"Almost forgot about that," Snake gritted his teeth in discomfort. “Yeah, Ace has gotten a bit…bold lately. He has been since the girls disappeared.”

“I’ll say,” Hazel sighed. “Robbing a gas station is one thing. That’s small time, no one gives a shit…but three stores in one night?”

It was a miracle Ace hadn’t gotten in trouble yet, honestly. He wasn’t stupid about it. He wore a mask and he covered his face, but people who knew him still recognized who it was. Yasmin was one of those people, and unfortunately for Hazel, she hadn’t stopped bitching about it since the robbery ended up on the news. The only reason she hadn’t spoken to the police yet was because Hazel promised that Snake could move in with them if the guys lost their breadwinner.

So, Ace stayed at large, as many criminals did. Townsville had been dependent on heroes for so long that law enforcement had all but forgotten how to do their jobs.

The cards were laid out on the table, face-down. Hazel pulled her hands away, then tapped a long black nail against an empty spot.

“Pick three and put them here. No peeking,” she said. Snake knew the rules at this point. He did as she said, sliding the cards into place one at a time.

She turned the first card over, running her fingers along the bottom. The text was written in braille - Snake wasn’t surprised that kind of thing existed, but it was always impressive to watch the way she could figure it out just with a slide of her fingertip.

“The Hermit,” she said softly. It was a card Snake had gotten before. “You’ve got some soul-searching to do, chulo. You either need time alone or you’re going to get time alone, and you should be using that time to figure out what it is that you want. Not what your friends want, not what you think you need - I’m talking about real introspection. So look inwards, don’t let someone else influence you.”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing? Influencing me?” Snake asked with a shitty smirk. Hazel couldn’t see the look on his face, but she could hear it in the sly tone of voice as his black-painted lips curled into a smile. She crinkled her nose at him.

“Okay, smartass. You know what I mean.” With a fond smile, she turned the second card. This one was flipped. “Nine of Wands, reversed.” She clicked her tongue ring against her teeth a few times. “You’re stuck. You’ve got big setbacks coming your way and you’re going to struggle to find resilience, but you must, or you’re not going to make it to your goals. If I know you - and I do, Sanford - you’re feeling a lack of support from those around you…Maybe your friends aren’t listening to you? Maybe you feel like you’re being ignored, undervalued, underutilized?”

She stared across the table at him, but not in the way someone with sight might stare. Her cloudy, pale eyes were searching his soul, and the way they somehow centered on Snake’s face was eerie. Those dark Argentinian lashes blinked slowly and her empty gaze remained direct. Snake found himself trapped in that ghostly stare for a moment, his heart beating a little faster before he nodded his head.

“Not too far off,” he chuckled anxiously. “Heh, y-you know, the guyss don’t like to listen to reason most of the time. I put in a lot of work for Ace, especially now that he’s so ssstuck on his new nightclub idea…It feels like he’s not giving me a fair cut for all the effort I put in, y’know? I-I have a good idea or I try to bring a little wisdom to the conversation and they just sshut me up or Ace ssmacks me in the nose or–or–”

“Can I speak frankly?” Hazel asked, sitting back with one knee up and her fingernails clicking together.

Snake just snorted. “You’re going to anyway, aren’t you?”

“Sure am, baby~” Hazel hummed sweetly, before leaning forward and sliding a hand across the table. It took her a moment to find Snake’s, but when she did, she turned his palm over and began tracing lines with one of her fingernails. The sharp tickle made his spine shiver. “You’re a pushover, darlin’. You always have been.” Snake started to laugh, but Hazel continued regardless. “Don’t dismiss it, you know I’m right. I’ve known you for years and you never stand up for yourself. And I’m not talking about witty little quips or venting to me, I’m talking about actually having a backbone. You’re a noodle.”

“I’m a noodle?” Snake giggled hoarsely. “Is that what I am?”

“Yessir, just a big dumb noodle.” Hazel laughed, sticking her tongue out between her teeth. Her tongue piercing briefly clicked against them. “Don’t get me wrong, everyone loves noodles, but when you have a noodle for a spine, it’s hard to stand up straight. Start setting boundaries. Start saying ‘no’. Trust me, you’ll notice a difference.”

Hazel didn’t know the full story. Snake didn’t tell her the full story. Saying ‘no’ wasn’t very simple, not when Ace was in one of his bad moods. He wouldn’t say it was bad advice, only that it was…well, a work in progress that wasn’t going to happen overnight.

She turned the last card over. This one was upright, with an eerie image of a horned demon on the front, leathery bat wings behind it.

“The Devil,” Hazel said, frowning slightly. “This could go several different ways. On one hand, you might be dealing with an addiction you need to let go of. A habit. And I don’t just mean drugs, cigarettes, weed, porn, whatever - those aren’t even the most damaging attachments a person can have. You’ve got a dark shadow of yourself that’s restricting you, an internal villain who wants to hold you back and control you. A parasite. You might be holding on tightly to something that’s trying to suck the life out of you.”

“Eesh,” Snake hissed, sticking his forked tongue between his teeth. “Doesn’t ssound promising for me, does it?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Hazel shrugged. “This could be a good thing. Once you know your villains, you can figure out how to defeat them. Besides, this is also the card of sexuality and desire too. It might be hinting at a passionate attachment waiting to happen, you just have to make sure it doesn’t consume you. Desire can quickly turn into an addiction, a jealous obsession.”

Snake felt his breath hitch slightly when he noticed that look on her face: teasing, flirtatious, playful but still darkly serious. With Hazel, he could never tell her motives. The way she smiled at him, the way she hugged him, her puckish energy … She was like a fae creature with perplexing methods, wise and chaotic all at once. Snake couldn’t parse it. Is she making fun of me? Does she want to sleep with me? Is she just like this with everyone? He tried not to think about it too much and quickly tore his eyes away when he realized his gaze had been wandering. He felt infinitely worse when he realized her blind eyes would never catch him doing it.

“Heh, s-so either way, I’m getting fucked?” he joked, trying to break the tension.

Hazel laughed hoarsely, scooping up the cards and putting them away in a box. “I guess you could say that. Just remember, this is always up to interpretation. That’s kind of the thing with glorified spooky therapy, you're the one who has to do the work. Just don’t forget what I told you about your noodle spine, okay?”

“I’ll try not to,” Snake sighed as he stood up, putting his bag over his shoulder again. “I should get back. If I don’t bring the cash to Ace, he’ll get…well, you know how he iss.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Hazel stood, putting her cards back on the shelf where they belonged. “Get home safe, okay? Be careful on the subway, the weirdos are out. And don’t be a stranger.” She reached out for another hug, holding tighter this time. There was something there, some foreboding anxiety that she felt in the pit of her stomach. The cards, the nervousness in Snake’s voice, hearing about Ace’s crime spree on the news…She felt like something bad was about to happen, but she didn’t know what.

Her own cards had been warning her all day: heartbreak, loss, helplessness. Bad news was on the way and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She felt compelled to hold the hug as long as she could, almost as if letting go meant losing her friend forever.

“I’ll be back next week,” Snake said. It was rare for him to ever speak in such absolutes. “I’ll have another quarter for you by then. Maybe we can…I dunno, hang out and ssmoke a bit? Y-you know, chill at your place?”

“I’d like that, papito…” Hazel finally slid her arms away from the hug, leaving her hands propped on Snake’s shoulders. Then, without warning or hesitation, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the corner of his mouth. Her lips were warm and pillowy. The way her piercing brushed against Snake’s bottom lip made his heart skip a beat. Maybe she had just been aiming for his cheek; he didn’t know. All he knew was that he was too dumbstruck to do or say anything and Hazel didn’t even acknowledge it.

“See you next week…sweet stuff,” she smiled. Snake was still off in another dimension of thought, too distracted to notice the sorrow and worry in her eyes.

He was still thinking about her lips when he left the store. He was thinking about them while he was on the subway, trying to avoid a drunk and belligerent man who was shouting at him while waving a bible over his head. And when he got back to the shitty little apartment he shared with his four friends, he was absolutely cursing himself for not being brave enough to kiss her back.

“There you are,” Ace said as soon as Snake entered. It was almost midnight, and everyone was still awake and huddled around the television with a cloud of smoke filling the dirty living room. Pizza boxes were already attracting flies, a dusty old fan was chugging along in the corner, and the whole place reeked of weed and alcohol. Ace looked as comfortable as ever, wearing his sunglasses inside like a tool. “Thought you got lost, shithead. How’s your big titty goth girlfriend? Get any yet?”

“Shut up,” Snake groaned, tossing his bag onto Ace’s lap with annoyance. “No, we’re not like that…I got a kiss though, that’s gotta mean somethin’.”

Lil' Arturo chuckled. “Whatever, man, she kisses everyone.”

“Yeah, well, she calls me papi.”

Arturo choked on his beer. “Okay, that’s fuckin' weird but I’ll let you have that one.” He let out a sharp giggle and Snake couldn’t help but smirk like a smug little jackass.

Ace sat up straight, rummaging through the bag on his lap and pulling out wads of cash. He was counting them, laying them out on the sofa cushions while Snake sat down in a lumpy armchair and pulled out a lighter. His twisted spine curved until he was melting into the seat. He was just getting comfortable when Ace let out a laugh of triumph.

“Shit, man. We did good today,” he nodded proudly. “Perfect timing too. I talked to Pete - the landlord, y’know? He says he’ll let us rent to own that place on Monroe for four thousand a month if we give ‘im the security deposit in cash. Huh? Not bad.”

“Not bad at all!” Arturo cheered first, while a wave of agreement passed through the group. Snake seemed to be the only one who didn’t immediately seem convinced.

“Wha��no! No, four thousand a month?!” he let out an incredulous laugh. “Just for the sspace alone? We can’t afford that! Not with everything elssse! You still have to worry about the electric bill, repairs, not to mention hiring sstaff–”

Ace interrupted him with an exasperated groan, leaning his head back against the couch. “Oh my gooood, Snake, shuddup!” ” he yelled, picking up an empty beer can and tossing it at his friend’s head. It hit him right in the temple with a loud clang. The rest of the guys started laughing uproariously while Ace continued. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it before, we know! Listen, ya gotta lose money to make money. And where are we gonna get another deal like this? Huh?”

“Uh, I know!” Billy spoke up suddenly and raised his hand, just as his video game went to a loading screen. “Uhhh…um...wait...nowheres?”

“That’s right, Billy, nowheres,” Ace said, pointing at his giant friend with a smile. “We can’t get a deal like this nowheres, so I ain’t passin’ it up. Besides, I make the rules around here and I say, we’re buyin’ that joint and we’re turnin’ it into the best goddamn club Townsville’s ever seen. And we’re doin’ it with or without ya.”

While the other three were cheering Ace on, going along with any half-baked idea he could think up, Snake was pinching the bridge of his large, repeatedly-broken nose and trying to fight back a migraine that was threatening to strike. As his eyes were closed, however, a second beer can went flying at his head and the room erupted into cackling laughter. This one hit him directly in the ear. Some things never changed.

“Hey, seein’ as you’re bein’ a stick in the mud, you can go get us more beer,” Ace said, tossing a wad of cash into Snake’s lap. “Get us somethin’ good too, it’s a celebration.”

“Sseriously?” Snake hissed. “I just sat down–”

“All the more reason,” Ace argued. “Everyone else is comfortable. Go on, get outta here. And buy a better mood while you’re at it, will ya?”

Snake got up from his seat, tossing his hands up in the air in annoyance. As he left, he slammed the apartment door behind him and shoved his fists into his pockets, mumbling to himself angrily as he passed flickering yellow lights and dirty, peeling wallpaper. One of the neighbors was shouting, having an argument with their spouse. Another was playing loud music that made the floor shake. Someone was throwing up in the stairwell. This was their reality - rusty water, mold, and noise.

I should have never gone home, he thought. I should have kissed her. I should have used some of that cash to get a motel room. Maybe she would have gone with me. Maybe we could have spent the night together. Just once. God, I’m so fucking stupid, why didn’t I do it? Why didn’t I just walk back in there and do it?

But it was too late to go back and try again now. He remembered the reading she gave him. It was time for introspection, it was time for him to finally figure out what he wanted. He made a silent promise to himself that the next time he saw her, he'd finally shoot his shot and let her know that what he wanted was sitting on the other side of that table the whole time.

The gas station was quiet. The walk there was calm and slow, lit by the glow of fire trucks a few streets down and serenaded by the blare of distant sirens. When Snake pushed open the front door, the bell jingling overhead, he noticed the way the cashier didn’t speak to him. The young man at the register just stared, his demeanor bristling slightly. Not wanting any trouble, Snake just lazily waved a peace sign in his direction, showing his hands were empty.

People around here knew. There weren’t many folks who didn’t know who he was, who his friends were, what they did. It was the reason why Yasmin hated him spending time at her shop. It was the reason why they could hardly get service anywhere, and why it had taken months to find an apartment landlord who would rent to them.

It was why Snake didn’t think twice about the cashier’s reaction. He was standing back near the drinks, minding his business while the young man on the other side of the store dialed the phone and whispered quietly into the receiver.

Moments later, Snake brought a box of beer up to the front, reaching into one of his pockets to dig around for his identification. He stuck a money clip in his teeth while he fumbled with the card, finally digging it out and slapping it on the table.

“Don’t worry, I’m payin’ honessstly,” he said with a sigh, still watching the cashier tense up with anxiety. Without a word, the boy at the register handed Snake his change as quickly as possible and backed away, not even bothering to give him a receipt.

As he left the gas station, Snake assumed the reaction was just because of how he looked. He didn’t realize that the gas station he had just entered was one of several that Ace had robbed in the last few days.

Sirens were blaring across town. The sound didn’t bother Snake - he was used to it. But when they grew closer, he felt that tension in his chest begin to bloom. He started walking a little faster, eyeing the alleys and side-streets a little smarter. When he dipped into a dark, narrow walkway, he glanced behind him just in time to see a pair of police cruisers drive slowly around the corner.

He didn’t do anything. He didn’t do anything. He kept reminding himself that over and over, but it still didn’t stop him from feeling a wave of nausea bubble up inside of his gut. His heart was pounding, and that feeling only got worse when he reached the end of the alley and saw another pair of cars waiting for him on the other side.

They blocked the exit. They blocked the entrance. Snake looked from one side to the other, looking for another way out, just as one of the officers stepped forward with a hand hovering next to the baton on his hip. The gun wasn’t far away.

“Having a nice walk?” one of the officers asked, his partner standing behind him on alert. “Listen, you’re gonna get down on the ground and you’re gonna put your hands behind your back, got that? We don’t want to let this escalate.”

Shit. This wasn’t right. Snake backed up, dropping the box of beer in his hand and quickly dashing for a fire escape. As he began to run up the metal steps, one of the officers rushed after him in quick pursuit, shouting for him to stop and put his hands on his head. Snake didn’t listen. He knew he should have, but the alternative wasn’t going to do him any good. Long, skinny legs got him up three flights of stairs before he heard a second pair of steps join the first, following after him in a rush.

He heard an electric buzz before he felt anything. Then, all at once, a scorching pain hit the back of his leg and sent him falling forward face-first into the metal steps. His nose and forehead hit the surface with a horrible crack and he could taste blood running down his face from both nostrils.

A pair of rough hands grabbed hold of him and dragged him down the stairs until he was finally brought to his feet. Cuffs were snapped onto his wrists. Blinded by pain and dripping blood, Snake was marched down the fire escape and onto the pavement, staggering and trying unsuccessfully to shake the hands off of him as he was pushed into the back seat of a cop car.

Robbery, they said. The boy at the gas station recognized Snake’s sickly green-colored skin from a glimpse he saw beneath the mask of the criminal who had robbed him at gunpoint earlier that week. Distribution, they claimed…Well, that time, they had proof. Snake didn’t realize that one of the ‘teenagers’ he had sold a bag of xannies to was actually an undercover policeman wearing a body camera.

It was just his luck, really. As he sat bleeding in the back seat of the police cruiser, he thought about the events of the day that led him there. Everything was going so well. He made more money than he had seen in weeks. He got a kiss from someone he liked. He was forming a brand new confidence to say what he felt and make his boundaries known.

It figures that in the end, he still wouldn’t win. The poor fool never did.

#powerpuff girls #ppg #gangreen gang #ppg oc #powerpuff girls oc #fanfic #powerpuff girls fanfic #mafia au #content warning: language and drug use #snake #ace

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