being feverish over something was like an addiction of the mind. nothing ever quite quelled the taste of wanting more. needing more. his hands ached and bones crunched and his spine hurt. everything hurt. his veins felt as if they were splitting and he couldn't tell if he was screaming or not.

he wasn't.

the library was quiet. all was quiet and he wondered for a moment if the world had finally died. a smile wanted to play out on his face but it turned into smoke as soon as the muscles twitched.

he hated them all. every single one. the ants that surrounded and bit at him. wanting more because he was the only one who could give them what they want.

tom could crush them, he knew that. he could do it thoughtlessly with his well polished shoes and not blink an eye but unfortunately some of those ants - people - were necessary.

only for a while.

wood dragged and scraped and he blinked at someone sat across from him. white hair blurred his vision before he focused in on narrowed silver eyes. eyes that held mistrust and doubts but he recognized the same hunger in his own. an unwelcomed mirror of familiarity and he hated her so much it felt like it made his heart skip a beat.

yes, miss malfoy? his vocals chords shook with the disturbance, not having been used in hours. when he wasn't in public he hardly spoke. his mind too loud and screaming. everything was always so loud in his head. too loud perhaps. his psyche yelling at him constantly.

he hardly slept.

you look like you're up to something. he watched as her lips formed and expelled the words. cherry red and deadly and she always teased her kiss could kill.

he cleared his throat, a pathetic attempt to get rid of the heavy rasp. you always think i'm up to something. and she was never wrong.

i heard you got death threats this morning.

he raised a brow, did i?

valeria huffed out a laugh and he felt it swirl around him, nearly choking him as it squeezed his lungs into breathlessness.

you didn't read all those letters on your desk?

tom shrugged and drank his coffee. they looked dull.

with the way you're influencing policy, those threats may become real.

normal people don't have enemies, malfoy.

you think you're normal people?

he smiled. the sight wicked and holy and he ate up the way her face twinged red with blood. a shark sensing the crimson in the water and he desperately wanted to lunge for it but he forced himself away.

she cleared her throat, looking down. don't look at me like that.

he stood, backing away and lighting a cigarette. he had so much to do and battling with her was a waste of time. her older brother was already a maddening cause of a headache and he didn't see a point in prowling after his sister just to cause an amusing fuss.

but like always his impulses were hard to ignore. he puffed out spoke and gripped the back of his seat, his knuckles turning white as he soaked up the sight of her shifting in her seat.

how am i looking at you?

as if on his sheer free will of wanting her to look at him, valeria raised her chin and eyes flashed. like you're hungry.

god, he wanted to set her on fire.