pastel [3]

forty nine

Third Person point of view

The first game finally came to a close. There was an unhinged satisfaction in Sungjoon's gleaming eyes as the two of them sat back down at the small table buried in the sand. There was still blood dripping down his chin, a mix of two. Taehyung had managed to wipe as much of the remnants off of himself, but couldn't erase the taste that felt like venom burning his mouth.

"So now that I've had my fun with you let's get down to the real reason I'm here. I want this next game to be run by you my darling, this is your fun." Taehyung felt his spine tingle with crackling electricity that sparked warnings through his nervous system. It was clearly a trick, a ploy for Sungjoon to get some more sick satiation from this before his deal with the gods came to an end.

"Can I speak freely now without you inflicting pain on Jungkook?" Taehyung asked cautiously, avoiding the temptation to glance over at where they had taken Jungkook back to. He felt a smothering shame that made it difficult to even acknowledge the suffering he had put the other through without suffocating.

"Sure. Why not. I wanna see how feisty you still are." Taehyung took in a shaking breath, finally able to release the tension on his psyche. The need to burn and maim was yet to be satiated, but he knew the easing of control was only to a point. The life of his love still remained in another's hands.

"Why'd you get Kook involved when it's me you want?" Was the first question Taehyung asked, feet burying into the sand to filter the simmering rage.

"Oh darling because I needed to show you just how incompatible you are. All he does is cry and whine and you deserve so much more than that." The way Sungjoon spoke was so telling of his delusion, he genuinely believed that he was the only person Taehyung could be compatible with. It was like the curse had completely rewired his brain, turning a fleeting crush into a life long obsession. It was a startling realisation that the gods had made him this way, that toying with the lives of these boys' minds had consequences. He'd seen it in Jungkook, now he was seeing it again in Sungjoon.

"What were you like before this? Did you hurt people? Did you torture innocents to get what you think you deserve? Sungjoon this is madness, you're hurting real people for a fake reality."

"I'm mad?" Sungjoon spat with a cackling disbelief. "Says the man who marks any human within his radius! Don't you see that my madness is what makes me yours." Taehyung seethed his frustration, fists curling tighter. "Don't get so riled up, love, I'm only telling you what you need to hear."

"Kook is not your toy to play with!" He spat, letting loose the frays of his sanity. "You will not take him away, I will get him back no matter what it takes." The affirmed statement seemed to amuse Sungjoon, his eyes casting briefly to the side before returning with a gleam. "What?"

"You speak so brashly, Tae. You see your precious Jungkookie is here for many reasons, not just for me to show off." His eyes continued to flit across to the area behind them, and Taehyung followed his gaze to settle on the second prisoner once again.

"And the other one?"

"Ah, I wondered when you'd finally ask. They're going to make this night all the more interesting. Especially when we finally meet them. Aa the night goes on the anticipation rises, until finally voila! They're revealed!" His extravagant movements drew the attention back to the foreground, arms flailing in delirious excitement for whatever game he had planned. Taehyung couldn't think of who the person would be, he'd never had anyone stay in his life before.

"I know them?" He asked warily, trying to make out any features that would be significant.

"I'd hope so." That was no help. "Next question, I'm bored now. Besides I haven't got much left of my abilities." He murmured haphazardly, waving around his emptied wine glass.