Chapter Text
It took almost two weeks before Byakko got used to the new living space, as well as the presence of Akutagawa. His scent, sound and even the small warmth he carried, lingered no matter where Atsushi was. Byakko had always quieted down in Akutagawa's presence, something the silver haired male couldn't help but appreciate.
Atsushi had just had dinner. Apologies, allow me to clarify, Byakko had just had dinner, It was nearing 1 AM and Atsushi suddenly felt a wave of hungry wash over him. His gums felt sore, his teeth having turned into fangs subconsciously, a manifestation of Byakko's growing hunger. So, stalking through the darkness of the halls, the silver haired male pried open the freezer.
On one side, ordinary, day to day items, bags of frozen peas, corn and carrot bits, frozen sweets and the like. But, digging through the contents, at the very bottom laid three steaks, each tightly vacuum sealed as to not let the meat go bad.
Atsushi would have found the raw meat to look unappetizing any other day, but in the dead of night, he was seeing the raw food in another light, the way the frost clung to the plastic, the frozen juices which had started thawing after being taken out of the freezer, slowly running down the corners of the packaging.
The Tiger was hungry, and suddenly, so was Atsushi.
Restraining himself from tearing open the plastic on the tiled floor, he set the meat onto the counter top, closing the freezer gently as to not wake Akutagawa, who had just retired for the night. Atsushi paused, before carefully cutting around the steak, the plastic scrapping against his nails, creating a harsh sound to his ears, but he paid it no mind, the intoxicating smell of raw meat filling his senses, his stomach rumbling.
Peeling the plastic seal back, his sharp nails dig into the uncooked flesh of dead animal, red liquid running down his arm. Moving the meat to his lip, his teeth sunk down into the cold piece, the texture wet, thick and yet tasteful against his tongue. Stringy pieces of the un-tenderized meat stuck between his teeth, his tongue feeling the way the steak was firm in his mouth, the frost melting and leaving his mouth full.
The tangy texture of blood wasn't anything new to him, in fact, he had grown used to it. Chewing the raw food in his mouth, a mixture of saliva and blood ran down his chin.
It tasted almost divine, he felt full like he never had, even after a full meal.
Licking off the red juices from his fingers, he looks down at himself, finally registering how he was covered in fluids, staining his pants and shirt red, emitting the smell of meat.
Quickly, in his state of panic with his clear mind, he grabbed a brown wash cloth, soaking it under the tap just a little, before cleaning up his bloody mess, hoping Akutagawa wouldn't notice anything wrong once he woke up. Although, the older already knew of his flesh eating tendencies, it didn't make him any more self conscious about it.
He was immensely glad that U.A didn't have dorms in place, it would be quite troublesome if he got hungry while living with a group of teenagers who frankly, would be too weak if he ever attacked them out of hunger.
Though, letting his thoughts drift away from the horrific subject of eating children, he had finished wiping all the red from the counter and floors, washing the towel under the tap, hoping it wouldn't dry or smell strange, having been soaked in blood (Thankfully not human blood).
Swiftly returning to his room, he threw his soiled clothes into his hamper, where almost a full load of laundry resided. Stripping down to nothing before he was even in the bathroom, Atsushi looked at himself through the mirror, his pupils slowly widening, becoming less silted and sharp, returning the soft look to his face. His teeth, once sharp and long, now ached less, Byakko finally satisfied.
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Hot water sprayed onto his boney body, letting it melt away all the stickiness and how dirty he felt.
Atsushi always took a hot shower after feeding Byakko, it was almost like a lullaby for the Tiger Ability, drowning out her thoughts and cravings. The one time, Atsushi had been to tired to take his shower, he awoke to find him self in Yosano's infirmary, barely able to remember what had happened. The only thing he got out of questions was a very vague answer, 'Byakko took control' she said, 'It was a very strange phenomenon, you were yourself, but not at the same time..' Was all Atsushi got out of her.
Closing his eyes, he felt bubbles run down his shoulders and back, running like a river over the smallest curve of his chest, something he was almost thankful for after growing into his body more.
After rinsing out any soap left in his hair, he shut his shower off and wrapped himself in a towel, grabbing another to dry his hair, his natural curls showing off more. He was always disappointed when ever they got lost in the thick of his hair.
Pulling on a fresh pair of boxers and sweatpants, be decided against putting on a shirt tonight. So, shutting off the light of the bathroom, he slipped into his plush bed, the covers welcoming him like a long lost friend and with the soothing like whispers of Byakko in the back of his mind, he fell into a deep slumber.