The Slaughterhouse

- 6 -

The chestnut haired male didn't answer to his name being called out by his best friend, and instead, let out a long and low complaint, just like the one of a lone wolf, separated from his pack. A heavy tear creeped down his cheek, and he quickly wiped it away before turning his head towards the voice that had just called for him. It was with grey eyes, ones that neither passion nor love livened up anymore, that he looked up at his friend, not even expressing some sort of surprise or shock when he saw his best friend, staring right back at him, confused as to why he didn't say anything back to him.

"Hoseok...." asked softly once more the blonde haired male, a mix of sadness and incomprehension in his voice, and this time, the name of the older was more of a question than an exclamation.

"What do you want from me....get away from me!" mumbled a very shook and confused Hoseok, not even smiling anymore, acting even like a confused animal that just woke up to find itself in a cage. He was holding his head in between his hands, crouched on the flooring of the cage, as if he was trying to make himself the smallest possible and, whimpering like a wounded dog, he turned his back towards the younger, trying his best to shield his head and face away from any possible hits he could receive coming from the hunters.

The plump lipped male was invaded with an overwhelming feeling of pity for his best friend, because when he turned around for a second to face him, the always happy Hoseok had shown him his face, bloodied by little cuts and marks that diminished only slightly his astonishing beauty. He was now hiding, tears running down his pale and scared, horribly afraid he'd get punished one more time, this time only more harshly. Of course, Jimin didn't want his best friend any harm whatsoever, and so he slowly got out of 0257's arms, and approached the older like you would with a wounded animal. Of course, number 0257 turned around, since his little protégé had disappeared from his arms, and he knew that if he lost him, he'd go in the cage like all the others, who all seemed in horrible shape. The most lucky ones had such skeletic bodies that with each inhale and exahale, their thoracic cage lifted up and down, clearly seen under their ragged clothes, but Hoseok was in worst condition, and dark circles around his eyes made him look even more bony than he was usually. It had been a long time since the two best friends had seen one another, yet Jimin knew that there was one thing he did in the past to his one and only best friend.

Proceeding with caution, as he didn't want to touch someone and cause a chain reaction with the rest of the slaves and cause a genral anxiety panic, the small feminine male put his two arms into the cage, and wrapped them around his friend's chest. They barely covered him, but he still managed to give him a back hug, just like before, when society was still at its peak. The blonde male pressed his still rather round and squishy cheek against Hosoek's shoulder, and whispered, of a shaky and uncertain voice, hoping it'd ravive some memories, "hyungie....you're the best dancer, can you teach me how to dance...?" The reaction was a little slower than before, likely due to the fact the older hadn't slept in a while, but at least a smile now appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Ah...Jiminie..." sighed the russet, with eyes filled with the excitement of finding his old friend once more, "you're the best dancer here, I don't know what more I could teach you!" he mumbled under his breath, which were the exact words he had told him when he had been asked this question, a very very long time ago.

As soon as he heard those words forming, Jimin mouthed them, remembering too what his best friend had told him precisely, even if he wasn't he one that had told them. The smile of his childhood bestfriend shone brightly once more, being just like back then, and a spurt of energy ran through his body. He jumped on his feet and gripped the bars with two hands, as the prisoner that he was,

"What happened, little bro? Mhm? And why are you out of this cage?" smiled a way more cheery red haired male, even if confused, was back to being his curious self. "Also..." he murmured, "why is this guy holding you as if he was you boyfriend?"