fiendish heart [1]

9 。breakdown in the dark

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Taehyung followed the boy as he seemed to wander aimlessly through trees, down tracks that led to nowhere and back again. Every one of his steps was cautious, knowing that any sudden sound would set Kook off. Having witnessed his reaction time, he knew if he did end up setting him off, it would be the last thing he would ever see.

Kook had been standing in a clearing about a hundred metres east of his hut, silently muttering to himself, but otherwise completely gone from reality. Taehyung followed him for ten minutes, trying to get an understanding of what he was doing. Only drawing the conclusion that he was in some sort of trance. He didn't act hostile, but Jimin's precautions clearly made him out to be.

He watched as Kook continued out of the forest, walking up to the deserted road. Out of instinct Taehyung stopped by the very border of the last line of trees, observing the boy with full alertness. It felt wrong to leave the cover of the trees, having spent so many months there. But when Kook began to run, Taehyung didn't think twice before rushing after him.

The boy could run for he was light on his feet and agile. Whereas Taehyung had always struggled with cardio. Alongside that his limp slowed him down so he spent most of his time trying to keep up. They ran down the empty road for ten minutes, Kook's bare feet slamming down against the bitumen. The longer they ran the slower he got, giving Taehyung some time to catch up. It was when he got in earshot of the boy that he heard the first of his deep harrowed cries. Kook cried out into the silent night, and it was cries of deep emotional agony, not physical pain or suffering.

Taehyung couldn't understand this boy who showed himself as coldhearted and emotionless, yet had the strongest string of feelings Taehyung had ever seen. When he was angry, he lost control. When he was excited, he was eccentric. When upset or distressed, he was hysterical.

Kook jolted to a sudden stop at the very first building that came into his sight, collapsing at it's front and breathing heavily. Taehyung stopped a metre from him, shoving the gun he'd promised Jimin he'd take into his belt and crouching down low. Now here was where he fell short on ideas. How did he get Kook out of harms way and out of sight from the people inside the convenience store without upsetting him more?

It was only after a minute or so did the blood running down the boy's pale arms become more clear. When street lamp down the road flickered, creating a dim glow on his features. Taehyung paled at the sight, even more so when he noticed Kook gently running his fingers through the pools of his own blood. Quiet breaths left the juvenile's lips. They cut off into sneers the more they continued then slowly formed deep growls; like a wolf seeking its prey.

Taehyung couldn't bear to watch him act like this any longer, tugging on Kook's arm and spinning him around. He felt the sticky clots of blood beneath his fingertips and almost threw up at the feeling. Instead he tried to put his whole focus on the boy now staring at him through glazed eyes, red irises staring back at him brightly. „Kook, listen to me." Taehyung pleaded, the words not registering. Instead his eyes flickered with hunger and his mouth twitched as his teeth slightly bared. It was terrifying to watch him fall so unhinged.

„Listen to me!" He yelled more desperately this time, feeling panicked when a response was not given, nothing but his full gaze.

„I am so hungry." Kook barely whispered, short snarls erupting from the depths of his throat. „Do you have anything for me?" Taehyung shook his head slowly, feeling Kook's sharp fingernails begin to dig into his skin, slowly breaking the first layer, then the second. He did so until he drew blood.