▪︎=|Yearning|=|TaeJoon|=▪︎
▪︎=|Killers|=▪︎

°•●•°

You've probably never heard of it. No one would have expected you to. In fact, they'd prefer if you didn't.

The apartment that Taehyung moved to was surprisingly clean for the area it stood in. With only eight other residents, it wasn't easy getting a place there.

His job was closer, and he didn't have the money to get anything better than this for the time being. But driving to and from work by car would take him three hours otherwise.

This new place was just a ten minute walk away.

It looked dirty from outside. The white walls were stained in different shades of green, brown, and grey, but the lobby, where Taehyung was waiting, was clas clean as it could be.

The walls were perfect white, the counter behind the security office coated with a soft wooden top. The guard himself, however, was more than eager to get out.

He was rushing to search the wall of keys for the new resident's apartment.

It was pretty late when he got there. Maybe he should have come earlier. The guard was probably just wanting to go home.

Kinda funny how this one doesn't live here. Taehyung can't help but wonder why.

He keeps a smile though, and thanks the guard when the key is shakily thrown towards him. As soon as it's in his hands, the guard grabs his backpack and leaves the office box, locking it up and rushing out of the apartment complex.

The door slams shut, leaving Taehyung alone to stare at the glass door in confusion.

Hesitantly, he walks towards the elevator, managing to stuff himself and his suitcases in and presses the button to the third floor.

It's slow and heavy. If it weren't for the suitcases, Taehyung would've taken the stairs.

With an impatient tap of his foot, the elevator dings at the arrived floor and slowly slides open.

The hallway is cramped, with little walking space for him to drag all his stuff with him, filled with unnecessary plants and storage.

There are a few clean areas, but that isn't really enough to quiet down the busy hall.

Taehyung shakes his head a little with a smile. He should ease up. These would be his neighbors! If there were even people living on his floor.

Of course they would... the mess shows it.

Taehyung finds his door, the empty part of the hallway, and unlocks it with a messy shake.

The door opens smoothly, swinging against the wall.

Inside, it's clean. A perfectly placed floormat and table for him to eat, a shiny kitchen, with a small couch and lamp, looking against the television in the corner.

Two doors lead to a small bathroom and a small bedroom, just enough for a shower and bed to fit.

Taehyung takes a deep breath, throwing and pulling his suitcases inside with a satisfied smile.

He finally had his own place. No mother, no brother, just himself and his games, his job, and his instant ramen.

"I don't recognize you."

"AH!"

Taehyung swings around, flinging his arms in front of him when he hears someone behind him.

He sees an elderly woman, who's seemingly come from the busy and unclean apartment across from him.

She has a bright smile, messy curly grey hair, and wears a bright pink, cozy cardigan.

Taehyung sighs and lowers his hands, returning the woman's sweet smile. "Sorry, I just moved in! I'm Taehyung!"

"How nice!" The woman's smile grows and she grabs his hands. "I'd have brought you a welcome meal if I knew! Come join me for dinner!"

Taehyung looks at her, blinking. "You haven't eaten yet? It's so late!"

"I eat late." The woman giggles. "Call me Miss Ahn! I insist!"

How could one refuse a meal of such a nice old lady? Taehyung's smile softens and he nods, accepting her offer and kicking his bags away further into his new apartment.

Miss Ahn gently pulls him along to her door, chatting him up about the place and its residents.

"We haven't had someone new in so long!" She says sadly, placing down a plate on the table for the boy and serving him. "It's gotten lonely, my son hasn't visited in forever."

"I'm so sorry." Taehyung frowns. "I can imagine it gets lonely then. How've you managed?"

"The other men are great company, and young lady Soojin is like a daughter to me. They've been busy lately."

"Are they out often?"

"They work jobs. I'd say the only one who stays in the most would be young Min on the top floor."

"All the way on six?"

"He says he prefers to be alone."

"Does he come to eat with you sometimes?"

"Not as often as I'd like." Miss Ahn frowns. "He's not a bad man. We all make mistakes."

"Is he... a criminal?"

"No, no! Well... none of us really know."

Taehyung joins her frown, picking at his second plate. "What does he do?"

Miss Ahn smiles again, like nothing ever happened in the first place. "He's a salesman! From what I hear he's doing better and better! And he's getting help from that good Mister Kim too!"

"Who?"

"A young man one floor up. He's a businessman, and a very kind boy. He eats with me often, but he has a very demanding job."

"I can imagine." Taehyung nods. "I wouldn't be any good in business."

"I think you would!" Miss Ahn pulls at his cheeks. "You're such a handsome young man! Who would say no to a business offer from you?"

Taehyung pouts in the surprisingly harsh grip the old lady has on him. It nearly feels like she's tearing off his cheeks.

He just chuckles and gently pries her fingers away. "I'm not that good with people. I work in IT, so I'd only be any good with computers."

"Such a smart young man!" Miss Ahn reaches for his cheeks again, when there's a loud, sharp knock at the door.

The old woman looks stunned. She clearly wasn't expecting anyone.

She gives Taehyung a sweet smile and slowly stands up. "Wait here for me, dear."

Taehyung only nods, staying in his place, picking at his food a bit. He feels... uncomfortable, to say the least.

He wants to love the old woman, he really does! But her conversation topics are repetitive, and she keeps pinching him.

It isn't long until the Miss Ahn returns, with another face next to her that Taehyung hasn't seen before. It wouldn't be any news. He has lived there for... an hour.

The person with her is a young man with a charming smile on his lips, sharp eyes that glint with a curiosity when seeing Taehyung sitting there. He's dressed in a suit, adjusting the white cuffs of his blouse and rolling them up to his elbows.

His head tilts, slowly eyeing Taehyung up and down, taking in every part of the boy.

"I don't think we've met?"

Taehyung looks up at him, blinking a few times. He's young. Looks successful and clean. What's he doing in a dump of an apartment complex like this? He shakes his head. "No, I just moved in so..."

"That explains it." The man smiles and bows his head, sitting down at the table and crossing his legs before clicking his tongue and slightly adjusting the position of his chopsticks.

They weren't his. They were Taehyung's. Before he can day anything though, the man squints his eyes and frowns at the shiny end of the chopsticks.

"You haven't put a plate down for me yet, Miss Ahn?"

"I'm on it dearie!"

The man chuckles a little at the woman's hustling and places Taehyung's used chopsticks by his left side, leaning over his plate to neatly place them on the stand.

"So, stranger, who are you?"

"Who are you?"

"I asked first."

"But you look richer."

The man laughs softly, shaking his head a little. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

"You innocent child."

"What don't I know?!" Taehyung scratches the edge of the table with his nails, ignoring the stinging in his fingertips at the mere laughter he gets in return.

What a jerk.

The man bites his lip shortly. "Money doesn't matter here. Just ask Yoongi."

"Who?"

"Top floor." The man answers. "A drug trafficker."

"A what?"

"He's got more money than I do." The man continues with a smile. "In fact, we are very good friends. He brings me dinner when I'm late off work."

Taehyung is only growing more and more confused. Who is Yoongi? And why is he laughing? What does he mean money doesn't matter?

The man sighs, leaning forward. "My name is Namjoon. And we're... deceased."

"What?"

"Hungry." The man quickly smiles again. "We're hungry. You would be too if you got off work late, right, stranger?"

"Right..." Taehyung frowns. "You're a weird guy."

"I get that." He quirks his brow. "And you are?"

"Oh." Taehyung takes a moment to mentally punch himself in the face. He's missed the hint completely. "I'm Taehyung. I moved into the apartment across from here."

"You live by Miss Ahn! That's good. She's been very lonely."

"So I've heard."

Namjoon, the strange man, has an unsettlingly comforting smile. His kind, soft exterior is deceiving.

From the way he spoke and laughed at his confusion, there wasn't much more to say other than to think of him as a bit of a jerk.

But when Miss Ahn comes back to set the rest of the table for him, he's everything but a jerk.

He's sweet, attentive, and gives the elderly lady all the son-ish behavior she craves.

It's almost like he's her son. They seem to have that relationship, with the same squishing of the cheeks and patting of his shoulder.

What the fuck was going on?

°•●•°

That night, Taehyung lays in bed, phone in his hand, scrolling around on the internet.

It wasn't anything new for him to fall asleep so late. He kept his curtain open, kinda liking the way the moonlight spread out into his room.

His first night was... eventful and uneventful at the same time. He was uncomfortable. But he was sure it was going to pass after a few days!

The building was weird. The guard was weird. Miss Ahn was... just a sweet old lady. And Namjoon was a jerk.

A mean jerk with a pretty smile.

"Has no one ever told you to keep the curtains closed?"

Taehyung flinches, looking up and screaming when he finally notices the window has been slid open, and a young man now sits inside of it, leg partly swinging out and a lit cigarette in his hand.

The man is deathly pale, with the meanest grin Taehyung has ever seen. He wears a simple black shirt with baggy black jeans, and silver chains dangling off the hem. They dingle with the slight breeze outside, and only makes Taehyung wonder why he didn't hear him.

The man's eyes follow him as Taehyung crawls away from his bed, and his grin only grows.

He tilts his head, watching as his black hair falls the other way and he takes a long drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke into the apartment.

"Or to lock your windows." He finishes, with a slight chuckle and throws the lit stick onto the wooden floor, stomping it down with his landing inside as he swings into the room.

"Who the fuck are you?! What are you doing here?!"

"Oh please." The man scoffs. "Don't pretend like you don't know exactly what we do with people like you."

"What does that mean?!" Taehyung stands up, nearly tripping over his own feet.

The man doesn't move from his spot, only rubbing the dead cigarette into the wood. "We hunt people like you." He smiles. "And we eat them."

Taehyung looks at him, blinking nervously, slowly thinking over his words until the realization kicks in and his eyes turn wide as plates.

He takes a step back, and gulps when the man takes a very small, lazy step forward.

"We all get our turns." He says. "To hunt you down. One hour, every night, for a week straight."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"I'm first." The man continues. "Because I've eaten today. I'm not hungry. Just looking for some fun. However, people like Jimin, might not be so forgiving."

"So then who the fuck are you?!"

"Yoongi." The man smiles. "Your first challenge to survival. You should probably start running. Or hide. I don't judge."

Taehyung takes another step back, watching as the man takes his messy chopsticks from the table in front of him, slowly twisting them in between his fingers with a mean grin.

He suddenly slams one of them into the table, splintering the wood and lodging the metal stick inside, twirling the second and only remaining one into his other hand.

"Go on."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'll wait."

"Get out of my room!"

"Run."

The longer Taehyung takes to question him, the more agitated the once calm Yoongi seems to get, with his mean grin slipping into a scowl, his curious eyes turning cold, and his fingers tightening the grip on the chopstick in his hand.

Taehyung should shake in fear. Run, hide, escape, or fight back. Anything but stand there with trembling hands asking questions.

"Are you gonna fucking run or not?" Yoongi snarls. "I'm gonna tear off your face and make sure no one sees the difference between that and roasted pig skin."

Taehyung shivers, taking another step back and bouncing up against the door to the bathroom.

Yoongi takes one step forward, his expression never changing, but his fingers turning white around his weapon.

It takes a second. Just one look at his intense eyes and his broken table for Taehyung to run, scrambling into his bathroom, and slamming the door shut.

He covers his mouth from a scream when he feels it being tugged at, hit, and then stabbed.

Every single time he sees the tip of the chopsticks on his side of the door, Taehyung backs away a little more.

What the fuck was going on in this place?

"You fucking suck at this!" Yoongi laughs when he peeks his eye through one of the open holes. "Cornering yourself in like a dumbass."

"I've never been chased! What was I supposed to do?!"

"Anything but this."

Taehyung backs away, stepping further and further away, watching the door creak open to reveal the raven maniac with a twisted smirk.

He eyes the scared boy up and down, tilting his head. "You really don't know, do you?"

"If you don't tell me what it is I don't know, than I don't know what it is I don't know!"

Taehyung's frustrated pout brings Yoongi to a light chuckle, and he twirls the weapon around his fingers.

"We're cannibals."

"What?"

"Cannibals." Yoongi shrugs. "You know? Flesh eaters?"

Taehyung frowns, a little upset with the fact that Yoongi even thought that he didn't know. "I'm not stupid. But... I need more than just that."

Yoongi rolls his eyes, kneeling down in the doorway with a sigh. He looks at him, again eying him up and down, sticking around a bit longer at his arms and fingers. "Cannibals. This building was meant for criminals before we came in."

It wasn't comforting at all. Being eye to eye with a flesh eater. But what else could Taehyung do? He didn't know what was going on. This man just jumped into his room and killed a cigarette on his floor before he started chasing.

"Miss Ahn, you know her, she lived here at that time. When me and Seokjin came to live, we found our shared passion." Yoongi chuckles. "Miss Ahn puts special sauces on her food."

Special? Taehyung gulps. There was a sauce in the food he ate. Did he eat human? What did he eat?

"It's so nice. Her soups and delicious dishes full of minced fingers and blood. A richness no one had given us."

"Fingers?!"

Yoongi nods, swiping his tongue across his lips at the memory. "Sadly I haven't gotten the chance to eat very often with her. Tell me, what did you eat?"

There's a curiosity in his eyes. A genuine question with no underlying lies or persuasive tricks.

Taehyung swallows, remembering the gorgeous deep red sauce with spice that covered the noodles he ate. A simple, but tasteful meal. And as he describes it vaguely to the cannibalistic man, his smile only grows.

"And? What did you think of it?"

"It was good." Taehyung shrugs quietly. "Spicy. And Namjoon liked it too."

"She gave you the good stuff." Yoongi huffs. "But you probably don't wanna know."

No. No he really doesn't. As Taehyung shakes his head, Yoongi pouts even more.

"Anyway." He grumbles. "Me and Jin were old partners. Hitmen. Assassins. Whatever you will. We got greedy ever since we got fired, and Miss Ahn had been in on the killing years before we came."

Miss Ahn. A sweet old lady with a dark past. It sends shivers down Taehyung's spine.

"We ate... a majority of the people who lived here at the time before Jimin arrived."

"Who?"

"You'll meet him." Yoongi grins. "He was hunted down by Jin, after he couldn't handle the continuous leftovers. He wanted more. But Jimin had his own ways. He tore off a bit of Jin's finger with a sharp bite. You couldn't see it, but he really knew his shit. He was a chef, and had moved restaurants due to... incidents."

How many cannibals are there?

"Namjoon, Jungkook, Hoseok... We all ended up having a liking to flesh. So this building became known as the cannibal apartment. A place where cannibals live."

"So... everyone here...?"

"Is a cannibal. Yes." Yoongi chuckles. "So we hunt the new ones. Just for fun. Or because we're hungry, in Jimin's case."

"And... Miss Ahn just..."

Yoongi nods without the boy needing to finish his sentence with an envious glare. "She makes the best kind. Shame I can't visit more often, but I'm out during the evening for my job."

Taehyung remembers something about that. What Namjoon had mentioned. About him doing something with drugs.

As the wheels turn in his head, he finally looks up at the pale cannibal, who furrows his brows and twists his chopstick in between his fingers. He's getting antsy.

"But- but- wait!" Taehyung holds out his hands, stopping Yoongi's sudden lunge. "Doesn't that make me a cannibal too?" He asks softly. "Because... of Miss Ahn?"

"No." Yoongi answers with a short growl. "You've yet to tear someone apart with your teeth. That feeling? That taste? That makes you a cannibal. A desire of flesh."

Taehyung gulps. He didn't have that at all. And he failed to convince him that he didn't deserve to be killed.

But how would he escape a mad lunatic who just told him everyone who lived here would attempt to kill him unless he was like them? Unless he had a desire of flesh.

The thought nearly makes him wretch. It's a disgusting realization that he'd have to survive for a week or two, or that he'd have to... tear someone apart with his teeth...

Miss Ahn.

Taehyung looks at Yoongi, who twirls the makeshift weapon in between his fingers. He's distracted.

Running and pushing Yoongi out of his way, the paler wastes no time to try to grab him, failing to snatch his collar with a chuckle when Taehyung trips over his own mess.

No wasting time. He gets back up with the clumsiest feet he's ever had and flees out the door, knocking on Miss Ahn's door with a panicked urgency.

Yoongi tilts his head, taking his sweet time to step closer. He liked the runners.

It doesn't take long until the door opens and the tired old lady rubs her eyes, quickly placing her glasses on her face and greeting the panicked man with a bright smile.

"Taehyung! And Yoongi! How nice of you both to visit! But why at this hour?"

"No time to explain!" Taehyung squeaks. "Do you have anything raw?"

"Raw?"

"People..." Taehyung whispers softly. "Raw people?"

Miss Ahn squints her eyes. "Why didn't you say so? I always have something in the freezer! Come in you both!"

Taehyung is the first to run inside and hurriedly follow the elder lady, with Yoongi uncomfortably close on his tail.

"This won't prove shit." He whispers sweetly. "Unless you can tear it apart, you'll be hunted like prey."

"What makes you think I can't? Asshole..." Taehyung snarls.

"Try to rip human flesh apart without any practice. I'll wait."

Miss Ahn opens the freezer, humming a tune to herself. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"Nope, just anything."

"Give me a finger if you have one."

Yoongi's husky voice sends shivers down Taehyung's spine. He can feel the sharp eyes in his back and he's incredibly tempted to turn around and punch him in the face.

"Still on the snacks?"

"They have a nice crunch." The paler shrugs at the old lady's words.

Taehyung is terrified, a shiver running down his spine with slight relief when the thing he's handed is stuck in a plastic bag, whereas Yoongi gladly takes someone's chopped off finger and wastes no time snapping one of the bones off like a carrot.

Again, vomit fills his throat. The way Yoongi cracks each part of the digit and then snacks on the skin and flesh like corn is a crazy sight to see.

He'd never seen a cannibal at work, why would he stay here staring at the blood that slowly leaks onto the pale man's fingers? Ironic.

Even though it was in the freezer, the red inside casts a striking contrast on his skin, like a painting. A very murderous painting.

Who's finger was that?

"Aren't you hungry Taehyung? I thought you came for a snack."

"He's not one of us." Yoongi mutters in between bites. "He's trying to prove that he is so we'll stop hunting him."

Miss Ahn slowly turns to look at Taehyung with big eyes, covering her mouth. She's in shock, and Taehyung can't tell from what.

"And I fed you... Oh goodness, I'm so sorry!"

"Eh..."

"I should have asked!"

"No, no!" Taehyung quickly shakes his head. The woman's panic is something he hasn't dealt with yet. But the way her eyes grow sad doesn't make him feel any better either. "It was good... Really good, actually... A-and I heard from Yoongi what's going on and I just wanted... to see..."

He can't finish his sentence. Yoongi glares him down like he's a wounded rabbit ready for the taking, whereas Miss Ahn is looking a bit happier at the compliment.

He's really lucky Yoongi likes the lady.

"I shouldn't keep you." She then says, a little saddened. "It's so late, you probably have to work tomorrow."

Taehyung's brows furrow before his eyes pop open wide. Shit! He does!

The cannibal across from him snorts at the sudden epiphany in the boy's eyes, tapping his cheek rather harshly with the chopstick. "I'll make you a deal." He growls, a sly smirk on his lips and leans closer to the innocent. "Eat that," he points to the bagged food, "and I'll let you off the hook, with the promise that you bring me a cup of Miss Ahn's meals every night for a week."

Taehyung hits the metal from his face, rubbing over his skin with an angry scowl. "Fine." He spits, a determined tone under the layers of fear. He leans closer, his lips hovering by Yoongi's ear. "But not here."

Yoongi shrugs, pushing him back with his broken finger snack, leaving a bloody stain on Taehyung's pajama shirt before wiping the fuzz from the sticky tip.

He quietly thanks Miss Ahn for the snack and wraps an arm around Taehyung's shoulder, pulling him back to the younger's own apartment and leaving the elderly woman with a smile.

Taehyung whines when Yoongi pushes him inside, shutting the door behind him and crouching down by the man as he falls to the floor.

"Asshole."

"Interesting preference."

Taehyung really wants to punch him. He really, really wants to punch the pale boy's face.

Amused, Yoongi takes another bite from the finger and waves the bag in front of his face, mocking his frightened eyes. "I could just kill you off." He grins. "Chopstick through your pretty eyes and use them in my cocktails."

"I'll take your hands and turn them into a pot for my plants." Taehyung sneers back, snatching the bag and tearing it open. His confidence fades in an instant. Inside lays an ear. A dark-skinned ear.

"Hm. Changing your mind?"

"I..." Taehyung shakily reaches for the limb, taking it with a nauseous stomach.

It had a smell. It wasn't strong, but lingering long enough for it to be noticeable. It reminded him of sweat, in a way, with how sticky and oily the skin felt in between his fingers.

It almost resembles pig skin. Shiny, glistening with the hole of the ear, like a donut, and another of the stretched earlobe that hung on his thumb.

"Gross..."

"Eat it."

"Didn't you wanna kill me?"

"I'd prefer watching you melt." Yoongi comments mindlessly, gnawing on the bone. "The first bite is always the best."

That didn't comfort him at all. Taehyung gulps, his hand trembling when he brings the ear to his lips. The oily surface rubs off on him, adding to the nauseating fear as his tongue squirms back at touching the shell and his teeth wrap around the soft folded skin.

He can't bring himself to bite down, and Yoongi's smirk doesn't help as the paler rubs his hair from his face, tightening his grip at his hairline and holding him stuck with a harsh pull.

"Bite." He snarls. "Trust me, you'll finally live."

Taehyuns whines, removing the limb from his mouth and glaring at the man holding him. "Would you fuck off?! I don't wanna die!"

"Then fucking eat." Yoongi snarls again. "You're a part of us, or you're dead."

"I should've bought a house..."

"Not like you can afford it."

"You earn your money with drugs, you're no better than I am."

Yoongi shrugs, suckling on the bone of the finger before discarding it with a hollow thud onto the table. He doesn't let go of his hair, only rubbing his thumb over Taehyung's exposed forehead.

"At least I can afford something better. I like it here."

Taehyung looks down at the ear in his hands, feeling the bloody trail on his head.

It's not like Miss Ahn is a bad person. Not at all. She's a sweet old lady who can't keep her hands to herself and stores bodily snacks for the residents.

Sure the apartment is dirty. Sure it's a mess. So is he though. He doesn't have his stuff gathered and it's very clear this is just for the convenience.

"I'm not ashamed of what I like." Yoongi grins. "I'm gay, I'm a cannibal, drug dealer, smoker. It's all shit, but it's good shit."

"You're gay?"

"That's the one thing you picked up from that?"

Taehyung shrugs, fiddling with the ear and hooking his fingers into the hole, shivering at the stretch.

Yoongi rolls his eyes, taking the ear from his fingers and raising it up to his own mouth, taking a bite.

Taehyung watches, terrified, as the man pulls a large chunk with his teeth, tearing off the outer shell.

Blood doesn't leak out like it did with the finger. Rather, the blood stays put, like it's frozen in place, only the flesh stringing outside its skin prison.

Yoongi holds out his hand, the torn ear resting in between two fingers as he chews with a satisfied groan. "You got no idea how good that actually is."

"The fact that you're convincing me to become a cannibal after threatening to kill me if I didn't do it is laughable." Taehyung mutters.

"At this point I just feel sorry for you." Yoongi sighs, tightening his grip on his hair and quircking a brow at the sharp hiss. "You're missing out. Miss Ahn likes you. She was clearly convinced you were a flesh eater when you swallowed her concoction without any question. And Jin would appreciate a newbie. Means he gets to show you how to dissect people properly."

The smile on the pale man's face only sends heavy shivers down Taehyung's spine. Maybe, if he just ate this one thing, he wouldn't ever have to eat anything like it again...

He shuts his eyes tightly, quickly trying to tear a piece of the ear off and becomes confused when he finds it surprisingly tough to pull.

He tries, again and again, pressing his teeth into it as hard as he can, flinching at the rubbery crunch. A thick liquid slowly drips onto his tongue, and to get it over with, he begins pulling. A long piece of the flesh rips, the sound sending an uncomfortable shiver down his spine.

Yoongi just smiles, using his free hand to wipe along the edges of Taehyun's lips and lick the access red off his thumb. "Waste." He grumbles.

Taehyung glances at him, tense as the taste sinks in. The texture is horrible, squishy and the flesh feels like mush. But it has a familiar taste, one that makes his brows furrow and his tongue swirls around the piece.

He looks up, meeting Yoongi's curious gaze. "And? It's good right?"

Hesitantly, Taehyung shrugs. He quickly swallows the flesh, nearly choking as it slides down his throat with too much trouble.

Yoongi snorts, tilting his head. "Tastes like pig, doesn't it?"

Thinking it over, Taehyung slowly nods. It does. Raw pig, but pig nonetheless. It's a bit more comforting to think of it as an animal.

Humans are animals too...

"I can hear your brain rattling." Yoongi pats his shoulder. "If it's decent, do it again tomorrow. Eat with Miss Ahn, bring me a plate, take a snack. You'll be quick to avoid the next."

He stands up, stretching and throwing the metal chopstick onto the floor, stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking to the door.

"Wait!"

Yoongi turns his head, a small grin on his face. "Hm?"

"Who is next?" Taehyung asks softly. "And... what's their favorite snack?"

Yoongi shakes his head, amused. "He likes flesh. Any kind. He's not picky."

"But who is it?"

"Jin." Yoongi answers shortly. "Dress warmly."

Without answering another question, Yoongi shuts the door behind him, leaving Taehyung confused, slightly panicked, and exhausted on his apartment floor.

He looks down at the torn ear and quickly gives it a hesitant kick, reaching for the bones that the older had left behind on his table before throwing it onto the countertop of his kitchen.

Staring at it, Taehyung slowly thinks back to the confusing taste that's still lingering on his tongue.

God, he couldn't actually be considering another bite, could he? It was disgusting! Human flesh, human skin, blood and worse.

Taehyung feels a shiver running down his spine and he quickly takes the remains of the ear before dumping it in the trash, together with the bones of the fingers.

He was told to dress warmly. Why? Was Jin someone who would stuff him into the freezer?

"Fuck..."

He runs a hand through his hair, rubbing his thumb along the bloodied spot on his forehead.

Yoongi had started something. Created something.

With a frustrated sigh, Taehyung shuts his window and closes the curtains, heading to his bathroom to wash the blood off and hopefully get some sleep until the next day.

°•●•°

Taehyung slams the door shut behind him, the anger having grown to a boiling point. Not at anyone in particular, just at himself.

Yoongi was a manipulative little shit who just wanted to get under his skin.

Knowing the taste of something that you'd never look at with such a hunger can drive someone insane.

Speaking to people at work became a nightmare. He works with computers, so human interactions wasn't always guaranteed. When it was though, Taehyung's eyes always floated off to the side.

To the curves of someone else's ear, when some were larger than others, pierced or clean. And the way people moved their hands - he could only think about the way Yoongi broke each bone in the finger and ate the flesh off of it like a cob.

Humans were animals. Flesh filled creatures who could be cooked if done right. He learned that from Miss Ahn the moment he sat down for dinner at the table and saw the floating piece of meat, slowly boiling in the steaming stew.

"What's this?"

"Pork." Miss Ahn smiles. "I didn't want to force you into our lifestyle." She says sadly, taking her seat. "I haven't had pork in years."

Taehyung feels slightly disappointed, unknowing why, and looks at the old lady. "I didn't mind the ear." He says softly, filling his bowl. "It was... alright."

"I'm glad." Miss Ahn sighs. "I'd never have given you flesh if I knew."

Taehyung shakes his head. "It's no problem, really. It tasted good."

"And Mister Min? Did he want a plate?"

It was funny. The way she called him by name and everyone else by their formalities.

What at first was a creepy elderly lady now felt more like a mom to him. The food, the kind words, even waking up to wave him off that morning and ask if he needed lunch.

He was tempted to ask for a snack.

"Miss Ahn...?"

"Yes dear?"

"What flesh would you have used today?"

Taehyung's question catches the lady by surprise, nearly choking on her spoonful and looking up at the boy with the big innocent eyes.

"Well... Young Mister Park always brings me the pieces. He's a butcher, you see, very handy with dissecting. He gave me a fresh arm this morning, just after you left. I had already skinned it when you asked to join me tonight." She smiles again. "Thank you for doing so."

Taehyung gives her a kind smile. He does like keeping her company. "If it's not too much to ask," he starts hesitantly, "could I have another snack for tonight? And I don't mind the usual... meat. It doesn't taste bad. It's well seasoned."

Miss Ahn looks at him, wide eyed, and then slowly nods. "Of course. What would you like?"

"Whatever you can spare me. I'd be getting a visit from Jin."

"Ah! Chef Kim! Oh, how lovely!" Miss Ahn claps her hands. "He makes such great meals!"

"I heard he killed multiple other chefs..."

"Yes, that he did. But you can't stress the man! He's a very sensitive soul."

Taehyung squints his eyes in thought, brows furrowed.

After another hour of Miss Ahn excitedly claiming she'd make something with thigh or arm tomorrow, she sends Taehyung on his way with a hot pot of the meal they had separated for Yoongi, a small bag of another snack on top that's slowly heated by the plastic tupperware.

It's a piece of skin from the stomach, one that looked much fattier than the ear or finger and almost resembled a piece of tuna.

And so, as he climbs up the stairs one by one, his eyes meet the man on the balcony outside. His brows furrow, quickly continuing up to the top floor.

The man in the suit stood there, leaning over the edge of the balcony's metal pipes. Namjoon. The jerk.

"Hey."

Taehyung freezes, a shiver running down his spine.

"I heard something from Yoongi today."

"Fuck off."

"Did you eat an ear?"

"So what if I did?" Taehyung sneers, continuing to stomp up the stairs with the latter following him up.

It was extremely cold. Why were the stairs outside? Who designed these?

He flinches again, moving out of the way when Namjoon's hand firmly grabs his waist with an uncomfortably harsh grip.

"Talk to me."

"Food's getting cold."

"You're a cannibal."

"No I'm not!"

"You are, by definition."

"I will stab you with your belt buckle." Taehyung growls, finally twisting his head around to greet the taller's amused dark mahogany orbs.

He leans forward, almost mockingly. "Look who's becoming all violent now. Losing your bloody innocence, Taehyung? Have you ever thought of carving art into someone's body?"

Taehyung immediately turns back around, finally reaching Yoongi's apartment and knocks, fast and hard, multiple times until the door opens with a very unhappy man on the other side.

He glares at Namjoon, who's not far behind. "Stay the fuck outside."

"Thank you." Taehyung whispers softly, shutting the door behind him and setting the tupperware down on the table.

Yoongi's apartment is a mess. Bags of drugs, open and closed, are gathered in the kitchen, dirty laundry on the floor and towels covered in blood.

"Sorry. Had an incident."

Having a feeling he'd only regret asking what incident, Taehyung decides to just nod.

Even the man himself still had splatters of blood on his face, wiping a towel along the back of his hands.

"Drugs get you into trouble." He chuckles. "Seems you got yourself in a bit of business with tall-ass over there."

"Don't get me started." Taehyung rolls his eyes. "He's a jerk."

Yoongi shrugs. "He's pretty new to cannibalism. Few months, maybe? Had his rush with Hoseok before he fell into the rabbit hole."

"Rush?"

"The moment where you see the light." Yoongi rolls his eyes with an amused chuckle, throwing the towel along the back of his couch.

He eyes the tupperware with a grin, tapping the warm plastic and observing the brunette with a tilted head. His eyes are fogged, with something on his mind.

"What's bothering you, kid?"

Taehyung looks back at him, fiddling with the snack-bag in his hands. "Cannibalism is a normal thing here, right?"

Yoongi nods.

"When I came home today I was mad. At myself." He mutters. "When I ate the ear, I thought I'd never want something like that again. That the mere sight of them would disgust me and throw me back into an uncomfortable state of distress."

Yoongi quirks a brow. "But you weren't." He grins wider. "You thought back to the taste, and the texture, and the way your tongue wrapped around the appendage and felt the familiarity?"

"You use fancy words." Taehyung grumbles, shrugging his shoulders.

"But I'm right. Aren't I?"

"I'm not supposed to want any more!" Taehyung snarls, his fingers tearing into the bag. His eyes can't find a place to stay, constantly finding something new to look at. "And all my colleagues, even my own... I'm hungry, Yoongi, for snacks and whatever Miss Ahn makes. She substituted an arm for pork when I wished she hadn't. I don't want to be a cannibal."

There's a shakiness in his voice, every move he makes is mixed with a tremble, searching for a voice of reason.

The dealer would be the wrong person to seek it with.

"It's not something you want," Yoongi clicks his tongue, pressing it to the inside of his cheek, "it's something you crave. Something we all do here. Under the law, we are criminals. Many people still think these apartments are empty if it weren't for the fact that those who enter usually don't live to tell anyone."

Taehyung sighs and sinks down to his knees. "I feel like a criminal!"

"Under the law, we are."

"I shouldn't want more!"

"And yet, you do." Yoongi glances down at the tupperware, standing up with a sigh and reaching for one of the cabinets. "Come. Eat with me."

"I already had some."

"You liked it, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Just say you wanted the arm." Yoongi chuckles, placing two plastic plates down on the table. "It's no crime here."

Taehyung frowns, glancing down at the plate and lays his hand against his head. "Namjoon is getting on my nerves. Remember when you said I had to tear someone apart to belong?"

Yoongi shrugs. "I remember something of the sort. Why?"

"That man comes very close to being my first victim."

"To tear him apart?"

"I want to break every bone of his fingers and see how far I can go until he stops screaming. How fear tastes. I want to watch those cocky eyes twist into a state of panic."

Yoongi rolls his eyes, amused, and chuckles, sitting down on the opposite end and slowly starts placing an even amount of pork on either plate.

He recognizes the feeling well. He knows that same panic in his eyes. The same desire for more and the sleepless nights before you start chewing on your own tongue and cheeks.

He can still feel the wounds, empty gaps of flesh as he runs his tongue along the inside of his own flesh. It's a sore reminder of how he fought.

"When I was little, I had a strange affinity with the police." Yoongi says softly. "I searched every book for every law, and when I became rebellious, sought to break them. I broke as many as I could without getting arrested and ended up in jail four times. Once for assault on a police officer, twice for possession of illegal substances, and once for murder."

Taehyung looks up at him with big eyes, quietly taking the metal chopsticks handed to him. What else could he do but listen and eat?

"I was so mad the last time, that in prison, I killed and ate my cell mate. He had killed someone, got less years than me, and thought he could get away with making fun of me."

"How long did he get?"

"Seven years. I got fourteen."

"How did you get out?"

"I finished my sentence." Yoongi shrugs. "But I dissected him and ate him at night, piece by piece until I couldn't stop yearning for another piece. Just like you, I couldn't look at any other inmate without wondering what their arm tasted like, or their legs or stomachs. I was a danger to everyone. Including myself. So when I got out, I began numbing my desire with drugs. Days on end I'd get high, and every single time when it ended I'd have killed another. I couldn't escape it. So I met Jin, we killed together, hired constantly for disposing of the bodies. We ate them."

"And he's the one visiting me tonight?"

"Yeah. He's crazy for flesh. Got the teeth for tearing. You could learn from him." Yoongi quickly shakes his head. "Moral of the story, don't fight it. Your body will find a way to get what it wants. You wanna tear him apart? Bite into his skin and break him? Go ahead. Don't be shocked if he bites you back. Namjoon is still unsure of his own strengths."

Taehyung frowns, chewing on a small piece of pork. He hates the idea of becoming a criminal. A cannibal. Everything in between. But he's had a taste. The elderly lady's cooking, the ear, and now the snacks that he desperately wanted himself.

He'd be horrible as a killer. All he knows is computers. He could take down articles, but that's about it.

"Jin isn't ruthless." Yoongi grumbles quietly. "He's kinder than I am. I'd have killed you with chopsticks, he'll do it with a knife. He doesn't listen to reason. My advice is to take a bite out of those snacks if you see him and offer some. He might refrain from pushing you over."

"As if I'd be able to do anything." Taehyung mutters, defeated. "I like flesh. I hate that I do. I don't know what to do."

If he knew the answer, he'd give him one. Yoongi was just as clueless once. He couldn't force Taehyung into cannibalism, he'd do that himself eventually. But how long would he beat himself up over it? If he was already unsure and doubting, what would be the thing that set him over the edge?

°•●•°

Taehyung flinches. A knock at the door wasn't what he was expecting. Not from a hitman chef who could probably open and shut his creaky doors without the sound.

Staring at the closed barricade, Taehyung flinches again when the knocking begins again, louder and with what sounds like impatience. In a sudden rush, he stands up from the couch, frantically searching for the snack Miss Ahn gave him.

After a third singular knock, and the sudden realization his door might break with the next one, the youngster hesitantly unlocks his apartment door, taking a deep breath to face the unknown resident on the other side.

What greets him is... a rather innocent looking man. Around his height, arms behind his back, with bright eyes and a big smile. The creases in his eyes are deceiving. Taehyung knows better.

"You're new! Welcome!"

"Jin."

The smile on the visitor's face quickly fades, his eyes growing colder at the mention of his name. "You know..."

He just nods, shrugging his shoulders. He'd been waiting in a sweater and had a scarf on standby just in case, taking Yoongi's warning from the previous night into account.

"You had something to show me?" Taehyung tries a smile, parting from the doorway to show the table, where the piece of stomach fat lays on his plastic plates. A neat cut to split it into two. "I thought we could do it over a midnight snack."

The man in the hallway tilts his head, frowning and squinting his eyes, glancing at Taehyung and the meat. After a minute of consideration, he shrugs and the smile returns on his lips.

"You should've said so! If I was aware you were gonna dine with me, I wouldn't have brought this!"

Taehyung squeaks, taking a few steps back when Jin pulls a large knife from behind his back, finally revealing the arms he's hidden.

It's true. On Jin's left hand, the tip of his middle finger is missing, including the nail.

With a curious smile, Jin waves the hand in front of Taehyung's fearful eyes. "Had a little accident. Nothing to be afraid of. Just a good bite! You want one?"

Again, Taehyung takes a step back when Jin approaches him, knife still in hand. "No thanks!" He squeaks. "Not much into finger food..."

"Ah, neither am I." Jin shrugs. "Yoongi loves it though."

"I've noticed."

Jin clasps his hands together, placing the knife onto Taehyung's kitchen counters before taking a seat at the table.

It's a bit of a surprise to see the man he was warned about take the duller knife and gracefully cut up the stomach fat into bite-sized pieces.

It was hard to believe that he could attack any worse than Yoongi did.

"You're a cannibal?"

"Obviously." Jin answers the question with a playful roll of his eyes, taking his first bite with a satisfied smile. "Well seasoned. Must be Miss Ahn's."

Taehyung nods, sitting down opposite the other. "I picked it up after work."

There is a small silence between the two, with Taehyung barely grabbing anything and Jin impatiently taking bite after bite.

He's almost swallowing the stomach whole. If it were up to him, it'd be gone in seconds... probably.

Taehyung frowns. Jin looks genuinely happy. Satisfied. He looks uncovered by the fact that he's eating someone else's stomach.

Jin raises a brow, slowly putting his chopsticks back down. "Yoongi had told me before I came." He mutters. "He seems convinced. I'm not."

"Convinced?" Taehyung gulps. "Convinced of... what?"

Jin rests his chin on the backs of his hands, leaning his elbows on the table and pointing half-heartedly to Taehyung's picked at plate. The smile on his lips had faded quickly.

The younger bows his head, shoulders dropped.

"I'm not as uptight as I may seem." Jin shrugs. "But I know a challenge when I see one."

"What does that mean?"

"We hunt!" Jin squeals, tilting his head on his hands. "Come with me! You'll get your first victim!"

"What?!"

Taehyung freezes. Eating human body parts, sure. But hunting them? Eating them from the body? A shiver runs down his spine, glaring down at the final piece of meat like it would infect him with the plague.

He can't. He could never. Tearing someone apart... He's aware that he told Yoongi earlier he would tear Namjoon to pieces, but he wasn't actually ready to kill someone.

Blood on his hands. It would destroy him. His career, his future, his mind.

"Pleeeease?" He looks up. Jin's face is bright, his eyes squinted into a smile, lips pouted. "I promise it'll be fun!"

Fun? Taehyung frowns, softly shaking his head. Killing someone can't be fun.

"Ugh." Jin huffs. "You're no fun. Fine."

Taehyung blinks. No matter how many times he shuts his eyes, every time he opens them again, Jin's smile fades more and more.

Even though he was 'not as uptight', he's impatient.

Either he kills someone, or he dies. For Jin, there was no in between, and no bad outcome. For Taehyung, he would die, or ruin himself.

"It's just such a shame." Jin mutters, picking at his last piece. "Yoongi seemed so convinced he'd have a new best friend. Seems he'll have to do with me."

Taehyung sighs, dropping his shoulders. Yoongi had faith in him. Faith that he could kill someone and cook them up like he was throwing a damn barbecue party for the neighborhood. He had too much faith.

Someone who works with computers, dealing with code and numbers, solving server issues. That's who he was. He could never sell drugs like Yoongi does, or work an office job with paperwork like Namjoon, or sit at home waiting for the next visit like Miss Ahn.

"Why did you start eating people?" Taehyung asks quietly. "Yoongi made it seem like you had an affinity for it."

Jin glances at him, lips quircking into a soft grin. "I was a chef for a while. I worked in a lot of places. Famous ones. Where the people lift their noses at wrongly cooked steaks and wrongly pulled pork." He huffs. "It got tiring when my partner quit on the spot a few years ago. An annoying customer got mad, came into my kitchen and demanded I redo her salad. She asked for no nuts. Had an allergy she forgot to inform us about, and in the rage, she got her face stuffed."

Taehyung gulps. Jin's story sounds like a regular day. A bad day, but something regular. Something that happens to anyone in his position but worse. Angry clients, mad customers. There are few who decide to jump the bullet and escalate it.

"I had been working for over ten hours then and thought it'd be a waste of her husband's fish. Long story short, I got fired for... vandalizing a human." Jin shrugs, taking his final piece of meat before getting up with a sigh. "Now, you coming or not?"

Ordinary people. Taehyung frowns. All of them were once ordinary people.

"What will you do if I refuse?"

"Kill you. Cook you up. Eat you." Jin shrugs again. "Share you."

"Then what other choice do I have?"

"Dying." Jin's smile could shatter glass. It's almost asking for him to pick the unsafe option. As if dying is more fun than killing.

Truthfully, he wouldn't know.

Not until he does it.

°•●•°

He knew he chose the right job. Taehyung had never been much for the club life. Jin seems to be having the time of his life. In the bright spotlights, dancing between the crowd, his fingers sometimes grazing their hair and tugging strands from their scalps.

The bar had been a more comfortable place for Taehyung, with a glass of coke and his nails tapping the glass. It feels like this was a big joke.

When Jin comes back to sit next to him, he's out of breath, reeking of alcohol aside from never having ordered any.

"I love crowds." He chuckles. "No one notices when you snap a finger."

Immediate shivers run down his spine.

"What are we doing here anyway?" Taehyung mutters, raising his glass to his lips. "I thought we were here to eat?"

"We are," Jin shrugs. "Food takes time to heat up. Like a microwave or a hot pan."

Taehyung sighs. Seems he'd be here a while. All Jin does is smile and goes right back to mingle, disappearing into the crowd once more.

Everything was way too loud. The music booming through the room, the uncomfortable heat of people and the smell of sweat. It was an unfortunate combo that Taehyung was stuck sitting with until Jin decided to return.

He taps his glass, the coke bubbling up to the surface, swirling the little bit around to create a small whirlpool.

“Welcome to the butchers shop.”

Taehyung whips his head around, making eye contact with a familiar face. The man is still in his suit, the top three buttons of his blouse undone to reveal three nasty claw marks from his neck to his chest. Namjoon merely shows his sly grin, waving over the bartender with nails coated in red.

As Taehyung eyes him up and down, his heart jumps into his throat. He'd killed someone. What part did he eat? Did he eat anything? Or did he save it?

“Did they struggle?” He asks, his voice a mere whisper in the loud music.

Namjoon looks down at his nails, observing them. “Not enough.”

“I can tell.”

The bartender stands there, his hands leaning onto the bar edge, fingers tapping onto the rubber mats. He has messy hair, dyed a platinum blonde with dark roots and a towel swept over his left shoulder.

The man points at Taehyung’s glass. “Need a refill, darling?”

“Sure.” Namjoon answers before Taehyung can say anything, giving him a sharp glare.

“I'm not drinking.”

“I insist.” Namjoon smiles. “I'll drive.”

Taehyung frowns. The bartender taps his fingers louder, tilting his head. After a few seconds, he sighs and orders his drink. If he's gonna sit here waiting, he might as well have some fun with it.

“You seem to know him.” Taehyung mutters. “He a friend?”

Namjoon's smile grows. “Jimin. The butcher.”

Oh. Oh. Taehyung looks back at the blonde. The butcher… was a bartender. Namjoon did call it the butchers shop. Maybe for a good reason.

“Do you want a snack?” Jimin asks, sliding Taehyung’s drink over, the umbrella turning as it goes, and sets a glass of sprite down by Namjoon. “Just gotta find Seokjin.”

“Dancefloor.” Namjoon answers, pointing over his shoulder.

Taehyung quietly follows his hand. It's not difficult to spot the brunette with his red lips, the blood dripping from his chin.

His companion was dancing with the crowd, his fingers tangling between the strands of hair before pulling them out, teeth on someone's neck, faking a kiss enough to draw sweet blood.

Somewhere, Taehyung feels a pang of loneliness. Seokjin had a much easier time fitting into the crowd. He could effortlessly sate the strange desires he had.

Taehyung couldn't even decide if he wanted another ear or not.

“Ugh.” Jimin whines. “He's not coming out there any time soon. Sorry, love.” He smiles at Taehyung, leaning forward. “So, you're the new one. Yoongi talks a lot about you.”

For someone who rarely gets out of the house, Yoongi sure does talk a lot. Then again, he has a lot of connections.

“So, snacks? We got a new load in so it'll just be raw.”

Taehyung shrugs. There's a rumbling in his stomach, deep down, that begs him to say no. A part that wants to puke at the thought alone. But then there's the curiosity. The desire for more.

“I've only ever had an ear.”

Immediately, Jimin’s face pulls into a form of disgust. “An ear? No, no, no. I’m getting you something better. Wait.”

Before he can say anything, Jimin has already jogged away, whispering something to the other bartender before disappearing from view.

With a sigh, Taehyung takes another sip, inviting the burn back on his tongue.

“So. I take it you haven't killed yet?” Namjoon breaks the silence. “Your hands are clean.”

Taehyung looks down at his fingers. “No. Not yet.”

“Are you nervous?” His tone was off. Different. No cocky undertone, no mean hiss under his voice. “I was too.”

“Why are you nice to me now?” Taehyung turns to him, tapping his nails against the glass.

Namjoon's lips press against themselves, firmer than before. His eyes search for the liquid in his glass. “Not sure.” He mumbles. “Maybe I was a bit overwhelmed when you first got here. You weren't one of us. If you got out, my career could be at stake. But Yoongi trusts you, so maybe I should too.”

“I've never killed anything.” Taehyung says softly. “I'm just some guy you all left living because I convinced myself that I could pretend for long enough to find some place else.”

The man looks at him, eyes soft. No one wants to be a criminal. No one desires to yearn for the flesh of another friend. Somehow - someway - they'd forced Taehyung into this same life.

“Do you want to kill someone?”

Taehyung shrugs. He doesn't. But he can't stop thinking about the food either. He liked it, and loved it from Miss Ahn. But the screaming… He's not sure if he can handle it.

There is a hand on his shoulder. One that squeezes it just a bit too harshly.

“Joon! Buddy! Friend.”

“Kook, Hobi.”

As Taehyung whips his head around again, there are two new men facing him. One who has his tattooed arms crossed, and the other who has bright red hair and lips. Drops spill from the corners, the man's smile tainted.

Namjoon doesn't seem too thrilled to see either of them.

“Drinking without us? Shame on you.”

“You were out late,” Namjoon snarls. “I would've asked you, but you know I don't climb the stairs up to your doorstep.”

“Come on! It's not that bad!”

Taehyung now sees why this guy was a bit of a hit or miss. He's loud, bright. An unmissable presence that would betray any ambush they'd be planning.

The man with the tattoos hasn't spoken yet, merely greeting him with a slight wave of his hand.

“And this is your new sugarcube?”

Taehyung shrinks into himself at the nickname, throwing the man's hand off his shoulder. “Fuck off.”

A smile plays on the other's lips, finally parting to speak. “We were going out after a drink for another trample. Wanna come along?”

Namjoon frowns. His glass has been empty for a while. His eyes find those of his companion, who meets his gaze. Concern plays on his face. Such an innocence, battling it's inner demon.

He slowly stands up, sliding his glass back and holds his free hand out to the brunette. “Wanna come along?” He repeats, his voice a devilish add into the once again sly smile.

Taehyung gulps. Seokjin was still on the dancefloor, and he had no clue where Jimin had gone off to.

So, he shrugs, his fingers lacing through those of Namjoon's, and gets up.

Immediately, his heart pounds in his throat. He'd be about to kill. He'd tear his first victim apart.

°•●•°

No one told him that choosing a victim was so difficult. The things you'd need to keep in mind. Are they weak? Perhaps easily manipulated? Maybe even willing.

Taehyung stuffs his hands in his pocket, twisting his fingers around the shut pocket knife that the tattooed newcomer had lended him.

It was still wet.

“Picked anyone yet?” Hoseok asks, leaning in close.

“Leave him be.” Namjoon snarls.

The man had been close to his side ever since Hoseok arrived. They seemed to be less than friendly with each other, but that wasn't up to the newcomer to judge. He couldn't care less.

Taehyung swallows his nerves, shaking his head. "No one yet."

"If you won't pick, I will."

"I said, leave him be." Namjoon grumbles again. "You weren't that happy with your first either."

"You weren't there for it." Hoseok spits back. "You don't know that."

"I do." The tattood man grins. "Shaking, crying. I'm pretty sure more snot ended up on that kid's body than blood."

Hoseok gives him a glare. "Shut up!"

The man shrugs, patting Taehyung's shoulder. "The name's Jungkook, by the way. Call me Kook, easier on the tongue."

Putting a name to the face didn't make the situation any more comforting. Everyone's first kill must've been some sort of train wreck. Aside from Yoongi's... or Seokjin's.

Shit. Seokjin.

"Wait!" Taehyung looks back at the bright lights. "What about Jin?"

"He'll find his way home." Jungkook shrugs. "He always does."

Between leaving the club and finding a victim, plenty of people had passed them on the street. To them, they were probably just a group of guys. If only they knew.

Hoseok rolls his eyes, leaning back for a stretch when he stops midst rising his arms. He grins, twirling past his tattooed friend and grabbing the hand of one of the women walking by.

Their chatting stops, faces frozen in a form of confusion and fear until Hoseok presses a charming kiss onto her hand.

"Gorgeous ladies on a gorgeous night? I must be dreaming."

Jungkook shakes his head with a hesitant smile, shrugging at Namjoon's exhausted sigh.

Taehyung looks at the taller, who gives him a sheepish grin and joins Jungkook in turning to the group.

Hoseok had caught them their victims.

The women giggle, fixing their dresses and dusting off their jackets as Hoseok continues to flirt.

Jungkook takes his pick of the litter, reaching for the tallest woman, placing his arm around her shoulder.

His mysterious shadow was enough to get most people to submit out of the pure curiosity. And Namjoon had the smile and strange charm about him.

But Taehyung? Taehyung was just nervous, and they could tell.

"So what do you expect us to do?" One of the ladies comments on Hoseok's touchy suggestions. "Break off our plans with our friends for three minutes of bliss?"

Jungkook scoffs at Hoseok's offended scowl, but he quickly regains his composure and puts on his signature smile.

"Of course not! At least let us pay for a drink!"

"And with what wallet?" Namjoon raises a brow. "We weren't planning on drinking."

The women's faces fall slightly. Suspicious, worry, intruige.

"We live right by here. I can pick it up." Hoseok plays his lie. "If the ladies are willing to take a short walk, that is."

Taehyung nearly scowls. He hates Hoseok's tactics. But how else would he prove himself? Did he even want to?

The women mutter among themselves before eventually deciding to go with Hoseok's plan.

Strategically, the three men surround the women, Hoseok in the middle, holding two by their waist, Jungkook on the left, still having his arm around the same woman, and Taehyung and Namjoon on the right, accompanying the final victim.

Passing by multiple quiet alleys, the men meet each other's eyes.

Namjoon takes Taehyung's hand, giving it a light comforting squeeze as Jungkook pulls the first victim into the closest alleyway, with Hoseok quickly following.

He's quick and terrifying, pressing two of his fingers into the woman's mouth to stop the screams. Jungkook reaches into his pocket, pulling out the reserve pocket knife, and slices clean through her throat, dropping the body by its teeth.

Hoseok is quick to follow, grabbing one by the throat and pressing his lips forcefully to the other woman's. Stunned, the killer stabs his thumbs through the woman's eyes, his teeth tearing through the flesh of the other's tongue.

There is a moment where both of them scream in agony, where their tears have a chance to hit the floor. But Hoseok won't let them alert anyone else.

His nails tear through the skin of the choking woman, who still struggles to find her voice, fingers trembling as she searches for her sight.

The blood pours onto Hoseok's hands, and Jungkook rolls his eyes to take the tortured lady by her waist. He grins, caressing her popped sockets before jabbing the knife into her wounded throat, ending her suffering.

Namjoon is quick to shut their last victim up, pressing his hand over her lips. He looks at Taehyung, gesturing towards the knife with a nudge.

Taehyung can't move. Frozen at the two bodies and the third still dying. The blood has a different scent to it. The flesh strings fresh, parted from its skin prison.

He can see the desperate attempts for the body to fix itself, but blood runs too quick.

"Tae, now."

Namjoon's voice snaps him out of his trans, and he clumsily reaches into the back of his pocket, fingers gliding along the bloodied blade lended to him.

He takes a deep breath, shaking, squeezing his eyes shut.

He can hear her panic in her struggled breathing. He can feel her trying to kick the weapon from his hand. He can hear Namjoon struggle to keep her detained.

His first victim. Miss Ahn would be proud of him. He could finally taste that arm he skipped out on.

He can feel the other's eyes on him. He doesn't wanna kill her. He doesn't want to end an innocent person's life.

Yoongi. What would Yoongi do?

He grits his teeth together at the thought, his breath shaky as he jabs his fist forward, knife in hand, whimpering at the loud pained squeal.

Warm blood runs over his hand as he twists the blade. It smells nice. It's like a sauce, marinating his favorite meal.

He's hit her stomach. Taehyung glances up at Namjoon, who wears a proud smile.

As Taehyung slowly strikes again, Namjoon tears off a piece of her shoulder with his teeth, taking the first bite of the night.

By the time she can feel it, she's been killed.

Taehyung looks at it. The many stab wounds he's made, the blood on his hand, and the skin between his friend's teeth.

It's like he's looking at another man. A maniacal smile rests on his lips, his tongue peeking to swallow the rough skin.

"You aren't supposed to eat that." Jungkook chuckles, snapping one of the fingers.

"As if." Namjoon grins. "Try eating that like a crab leg."

Hoseok has already found himself tearing through pieces. A tongue with the missing tip, ears torn from the face, thin skin from the collarbone.

"Why don't you have a bite, Taehyung?" Hoseok smirks. "Kill them for real."

They're already dead. But there's been so much temptation. It'd be sad not to take advantage of it.

He brings the bloodied hand to his lips, taking a gentle taste of the woman's blood. It's bitter, but warm and soft. It's almost like a blanket for the tongue, barely needing to swallow for it to enter his system.

Namjoon meets his gaze. The once caring warmth his eyes had disappeared the moment he set his teeth into his victim. There's nothing more but hunger and pride.

So, he takes it.

He slowly takes the limp arm, pressing his teeth into the skin. It's a soft barrier that really takes a lot of strength to bite into.

He slips a few times, but finds his bite. He pushes, hesitantly pressing with more force until the skin rips and his teeth find the strings of flesh.

It's a feeling unlike any other. The softness completely vanishes, flesh tearing like fabric. The sound is loud in his head, ringing throughout his entire body as the blood covers his chin, parting his bite from the victim.

He chews. The flavor bright, and tender like the salmon of a piece of sushi. It's soft, with a kick of citrus bitterness.

Taehyung glances around, meeting the three pairs of eyes.

Namjoon pats his shoulder. He's glowing. "Welcome to the family."

That's right. Taehyung had torn someone apart with his teeth now. According to Yoongi, he was a criminal now.

It sinks in. Slowly and heavily pushing his sudden confidence and pressure down into a deep hole in his stomach. He's killed someone. He ate someone who hadn't been dissected...

He looks up at the taller, his lips trembling, eyes foggy with the rising of tears.

The smile on Namjoon's face hesitantly drops. He can feel the boy shaking under his touch.

Even Hoseok tilts his head, looking at his tattooed buddy who waves him down. Jungkook seemed to have a better idea of what Taehyung was going through.

Without another word, Namjoon quickly takes Taehyung's hand, giving a slight nod to the other two, and guiding the shocked boy back to his car to go home.

°•●•°

A few sharp knocks at the door is all it takes to open the door. Yoongi appears, his hair a complete mess and his shirt put on in a hurry.

"Who the fuck-" He shuts his mouth, looking the two men up and down. Covered in blood, with one practically begging them to come in, and the other a sobbing mess. "Oh shit..."

Yoongi keeps the door open, turning to the kitchen and hurriedly pulling out a half empty pack of ramyeon, sprinting around the kitchen for a bowl and hot water.

Every now and then, he looks to check up on the two. The door shuts, and Namjoon keeps trying his best to comfort their friend.

Taehyung has his arms hugged around his own body, his eyes swollen red and his voice cracking at every hesitant sob. Breathing merely causes him hiccups, and when he's seated down, he bows his head to his knees.

"What happened?" Yoongi asks, pulling out a small box of fingersnacks before pouring the hot water over the noodles.

He rarely had them in the house. He was lucky he decided on grabbing them that same night for if Taehyung ended up wanting something. He didn't exactly have everything to make a stew either.

This was the best he could do to comfort someone. Even if it weren't with words.

He takes a seat on the couch, placing the box onto the table and sliding the warm noodles towards Taehyung, who barely looks up at it. So looks to Namjoon for an answer.

"He had his first bite." Namjoon says softly. "I think it got a bit much for him. Kook and Hobi were there too."

Yoongi sighs, looking down at his knees. "Those two are a big handful. What about Jin?"

"Club. Jimin will be taking care of him."

He nods. "Alright..."

Taehyung's sobbing slowly downs into a sad mess of air, his shoulders twitching every time he tries to breathe out.

Yoongi quietly pats his shoulder. The silence is haunting. But a small warmth fills his chest when he sees Taehyung picking up the chopsticks and taking a small bite from the noodles.

Some time passes, with Taehyung slowly calming down, taking his time to eat normal food. Something he personally hadn't expected Yoongi to have.

He looks up at the two men. Of everyone to stay and help, Namjoon was the last one he expected. Instead, he's sitting there, waiting patiently, rubbing his back.

It takes a while, a long while. The clock seems to be the most intimidating thing in the room until Taehyung finally speaks.

"Thank you."

Yoongi shakes his head. "You're my friend. That's what we do."

"You have friends?" Namjoon laughs softly. "Surprising."

"Fuck you."

It brings a hesitant smile onto Taehyung's face. The blood on his hands has dried up, feeling like a layer of glue.

"You feeling better?" Yoongi asks.

Taehyung nods. "I want a shower." He chuckles, a sad tone still left in his voice. "I'm... gross."

"Tae,"

He looks up at the taller, quickly avoiding eye contact.

"Tae, it's okay."

Something in that just... doesn't feel right. It's not okay. He's a criminal. He killed someone with his teeth... He's a monster. For some reason, he can't bring himself to say that.

There's two next to him who have been in his situation and probably never cried about it.

After another moment of silence, Yoongi gets up and walks over to the kitchen, taking the dishes with him. "I'm not sure if you wanna shower here..." He says, hesitating. "I had another incident. People don't pay."

"Why do you hide people in your bathroom?" Taehyung asks. If anything he's just confused.

Yoongi shrugs. "Convenience? It's cleaner to let Jin go to work in a place that's easily cleaned. Blood on the carpet is a bitch."

Namjoon snickers at the mention. "I got rid of my carpet a month ago."

Taehyung sighs. He's better off showering at his own apartment. There's so much going on in his head. Miss Ahn, Hoseok, Seokjin and Jungkook, but worst of all was his sudden lack of hunger.

The entire day his stomach had bothered him. Even when he shared a piece with Seokjin, it never seemed enough. This burning echo that never left him alone was finally gone.

Was this wat it felt like to be free? And if so, why did he feel so guilty? He's free... right? And killed someone...

He stands up, catching the two other men by surprise, and slowly stumbles towards the door, his feet dragging behind him.

"Shit, Tae, hey-"

"I'll go with him."

Taehyung merely shakes his head. "Thanks for the meal. Twice."

Namjoon won't let himself be told otherwise. He's already by the younger's side before he can lay his hand on the door. Yoongi has better things to do, even with his worry.

He just makes a silent promise with the taller that he'd keep the boy safe.

So, knowing how stubborn he is by now, Taehyung let's Namjoon join him downstairs. One floor down though, the taller pulls him along into the hallway. To his apartment.

"I-"

"You can shower at my place."

Taehyung doesn't respond. He's afraid that if he opens his mouth again, the tears would start again. He's already had to swallow a painful lump.

The first impression of Namjoon's apartment is... nice. There's a mat down by his feet and a pair of indoors slippers in a box next to the door. It's a well gathered, neat and tidy space.

Everywhere he looks it's clean and organized. Even the bathroom, once he's shown it, is shining.

Namjoon lays down a towel for him, giving him a final pat on his shoulder with a comforting smile before leaving him with the door shut.

It takes a few minutes for Taehyung to actually start moving and turn on the water. He flinches back, waiting for the steam to rise before feeling the temperature. His sleeve gets wet in the process, heavy around his wrists.

Slowly, Taehyung undresses, finding himself with an even bigger lump to swallow when he looks at his own reflection in the mirror.

There's blood splattered on his cheeks and on his teeth, his lips a mess of sauce and mucus. In his neck, there's a small bruise of where the woman clawed at his neck before she died.

The woman he killed...

Warm water rolls down his cheeks, lips trembling. He can't look away. The blood had dripped down onto his collarbones, where it dried and feels like a crust.

It's happened. So why is he still sad?

The mirror fogs, and Taehyung steps under the warm water, kneeling down onto the floor and letting the blood disappear from his face.

The puddles beneath him turn red. Not enough to make him relive it, but enough to know he's done something irreversible. Something inhumane.

She was his age. She had such a life ahead of her.

What would he do now? Quit his job? Live in isolation until he becomes insane and stops feeling guilty?

The water has already turned clear by the time he's regained his composure and thoughts.

This surely would not be the last time it bothered him.

So, he gets out. Turns off the water, grabs the white towel and dries himself. The fact that the towel is still white when he's done puts a small smile onto his face.

He feels cleaner. Not fully. But better. Like he can finally breathe without choking on his own spit.

He should've brought clean clothes...

Looking around, Taehyung finds something else that makes him feel a bit better. A dark blue bathrobe. One of the very few things in the bathroom that wasn't white.

Namjoon surely wouldn't mind if he borrowed it for a bit.

When he finally leaves the bathroom, Namjoon sits by the TV, waiting, a cup of tea in hand. He almost instantly lights up when he sees the kid, spilling some of the hot liquid on his hand.

"Tae! Ow! You alright?" Namjoon gives him a hurried smile, rushing to the sink to water his bruise.

"Yeah." For once, Taehyung returns his smile. "I'll clean it in my next laundry. I didn't bring a change of clothes."

"Don't bother." Namjoon chuckles. "I have plenty. Feel free to keep it."

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

Taehyung takes a seat on the couch, a little shocked at what's on.

"Is that...?"

"Jimin? Yeah."

"What's he doing on the news?"

Namjoon quircks a brow, planting himself next to him. "The murders four streets down."

"Ah..."

"Hobi and Kook got rid of the bodies, but they weren't fast enough to hide the one Jin got."

"Isn't that his responsibility?"

Namjoon nods, pouting. "Yep."

There's a small silence between them, as Jimin on the news speaks, shockingly normally, about the murder. He pretends to be a concerned civilian like a true actor, as if he hadn't offered him finger snacks a mere three hours ago.

"Hey, Joon?"

"Hm?"

"How did you deal... with all this?"

Namjoon frowns. "Honestly? I'm still not over my first." He mutters. "Hobi always said your first is special. In a way, it is. It's the first time you feel like a monster."

A more accurate description was impossible. Taehyung knew exactly what that was like.

"I remember... being numb. I kicked off for a few days, refusing to eat. Jin cooked for me, miss Ahn tried everything. I just... gave up."

"So why did you go back to eating people?"

"It made me feel normal." Namjoon admits. "In a building where flesh was the norm, and my cravings seemed accepted, it felt safe. I didn't stop craving people. I dreamt about it, and food never seemed enough. So, Yoongi invited me out. First as a bodyguard, next as a killer. I got a new job, managed to pay my rent. I thought I was untouchable."

"But...?"

"I wasn't." Namjoon chuckles. "I was sloppy, messy, left fingerprints left and right. I forgot that while here, I'm normal, out there, I'm a criminal. I had to learn - I'm still learning."

"So... I shouldn't stop killing people?"

Namjoon shrugs. "Listen, we may have pressured you into doing this. I'm sorry if that's the case. But you would've run away or tried to kill us if you weren't the least bit interested in cannibalism. You listened, you learned. You can't stop it, but you can regulate it."

Taehyung nods and sighs. "Alright... Thanks I guess. For letting me shower here. I should probably head to bed. I got work in the morning."

Namjoon smiles at him. "Text me, okay?"

"I don't have your number."

"I'll give it to you when we leave tomorrow."

Taehyung raises a brow.

"Eight AM." Namjoon shrugs. "Meet you by the stairs?"

The younger smiles, nods, and slowly takes his leave. Just before he goes, he meets the taller's eyes once more.

"Thank you..."

Namjoon doesn't answer. He merely laughs, waves him off, and takes a sip of his steaming cup of tea.

So, with Taehyung traversing the stairs back to his apartment. There's hope. There's... life. He can learn. He can live.

▪︎=|THE END|=▪︎

Questions of the Chapter:

Why was miss Ahn so nice to Taehyung?

How did Jimin get the nickname The Butcher?

Why did Seokjin leave Taehyung behind at the bar?

How did the urges start?

Will Taehyung continue to hunt?