It was funny to the two of them, to most of them, how foolish prey could be. It was comical how they could hear of everything going on around and genuinely grin like nothing is wrong, laugh like everything is in their favor, and think that it doesn't affect them in the slightest. It was a common thought among them; they are above their prey [they're right]. They are stronger, vicious, and they aren't going anywhere. It's thrilling [to them].

It was terrifying as well. The way they managed to deceive themselves. Like little rabbits, utterly clueless to the sly and starved foxes lurking closer than believed. Like male black widows, getting close to the much more dangerous female, believing he will mate and leave, only to be consumed without a second thought from his captor. The way they don't blink as the person who worked in the desk beside them suddenly just doesn't.

It was disgusting how little they cared. Like stupid deer, they watch their own family gets shot down and just watch as they bleed. They run like dogs, nonexistent tails lodged tightly between their legs as the ones they claim to love die behind them, leaving the earth with the sight of their loved ones' backs and no one to utter their last words to— hence why they always pass silently. 

The way prey acted was vulgar, but the prey in its self was so good that it was worth it. It made it worth hiding. It made it worth staying as humble as they are when they are capable of ruining all the peace and living like kings and queens. It made it worth fighting their own— their own kind who were having the same struggle as they were. It was utter and total hell altogether, but the way all the burgundy and crimson fit together in this stomach-turning, cream of the crop masterpiece made it all worth it.

Or perhaps, just slightly perhaps, what made it worth it was the promise of another. Another day, another night, another sunset or sunrise. The promise of another encounter, another step, in some cases another love. But not all of this love, this love that was worth all of this hell was romantic. The promise of loved ones, a loved one, made everything these predators went through so completely worth it.

These are the things that crossed through the minds of almost every predator in this animal kingdom. This is what went through the mind of every ghoul in every city all around the world. The SS ranked duo, 'Kira Koneko' are no exception. 

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"Are you excited about our first day tomorrow?" (Y/n) asked his cousin, who was basically like his brother.

"I don't know about excited, but sure," Shouto sighed.

"What's up with the mood?" (Y/n) looked over at Shouto from where they were sat on the (h/c) teen's bed.

"It was easier to get away with stuff at our little junior high, there were only a few hundred kids and we got off with saying we had severe food allergies," Shouto recalled, "now we're going to school with literally thousands of people."

"Oh," (Y/n) realized what his cousin was referring to, "I get it, but I don't think we'll get caught by any humans. As for others like us, they're in the same boat we are. They won't attack in the open or someone'll call the doves."

"Good point, but you still see why we need to be more careful, right?" Shouto looked over at (Y/n).

"Of course," (Y/n) uttered, "more people means we're more likely to get found out, and there will almost definitely be others at the academy. We've been extremely to not have encountered any at previous schools yet."

"..." Shouto stayed silent for a moment, unsure how to respond before deciding to change the subject, "you remember what was on the news last night?"

"Yeah, those two ghouls were relabeled as 'SS' ranked, right?" (Y/n) questioned as he recalled, "what were their names again?"

"You're such an airhead, you never remember anything important," Shouto sighed as (Y/n) pouted, "their names are Coluber Constrictor and Crimson Raven, try to keep that in your head."

┈

"It's really too bad that we have to resort to this," (Y/n) whispered as he pulled his mask over his face. 

He and Shouto snuck out of the house that night. The sky was an almost eerie ebony, and the stars and moon were drowned out by the dark clouds. It was dark, too dark, but that made it all the easier for them to do what they needed to do. Neither of them truly wished to go through with this, but they didn't know any other choices. They could try salvaging suicide victims, but there was a binge eater who seemed quick to claim the bodies.

Shouto pulled his own, similar mask over his face, sighing at the all too familiar feeling of the black mask covering his nose and the gold tassel on the side lightly touching just in front of his ear. It made him feel safe— protected almost- even. Yet, it didn't. The mask did nothing to hide his extremely unique pattern of hair, which he continues to swear he's going to dye a different color one day.

Both of the boys whipped their heads in the direction of the opening door to the fancy restaurant. The slight creak seemed to call to them, and (Y/n) almost cursed a little as his stomach growled. The CCG had been leveling up their guard lately, not to mention that Enji Todoroki, their legal guardian had started to keep a closer eye on them.

An older man walked out of the rather expensive establishment with someone who they assumed to be his wife. The two of them noted their clothing, not to mention the wine the man was holding. He also had a bouquet of delicate, white burnet roses. (Y/n) almost felt guilt pool in his gut as he watched the middle-aged smile and laugh with each other. Unfortunately, what needed to be done, needed to be done.

They crept silently along the roof until the couple walked into a large parking lot. Shouto wanted to curse the unknowing married couple for that. There was no one else walking around the parking lot, per se, but there could be people just sitting in their cars. The last thing Shouto and (Y/n) needed was to get the CCG called on them. What would happen if the Dove who was sent to them happened to be Shouto's father? 

"Shit," Shouto swore quietly, but then he noticed something, "wait, are they heading into that alley?"

"I think so..." (Y/n) murmured, "isn't that a dead end, though?" 

"I hope so. If it is then we might actually get something to eat tonight," Shouto responded hungrily, already making his way to the alley. 

(Y/n) wordlessly followed, more than happy to see if they would be getting a meal. Due to Enji's growing strict attitude, they had been unable to sneak out to get food for a while. They were pushing two months and not only did they feel starved, but the boys were lucky no one had noticed their weight loss. Now it was Shouto's stomach's turn to cry out quietly, begging for food. 

"Wait, Shouto," (Y/n) looked up at the street signs, "isn't this where those two from the news struck last night?"

"Yeah, so?" Shouto questioned, knowing very well where this is going.

"You know I'm not the best at telling, but... uh..." (Y/n) lowered his voice despite not needing to, "what if this is their territory?"

"It's not," Shouto informed, "they may work together often, but they're their own people. They only work together because it benefits themselves."

"Which means?" (Y/n) sighed.

"Oh my God," Shouto sounded slightly annoyed, mainly due to his hunger, "they'd tear each other's heads off if they had to share a territory. Plus, after that ambush here a couple years ago, most humans are smart enough to stay clear of this place. If no food passes through then there's no point in claiming it."

(Y/n) didn't respond. The car the two were in stopped in the alley and the couple crawled out. The man and woman turned on the car radio to play some cheezy song before they sat on the hood of the car. The man had brought out the wine, flowers and a couple of wine glasses. 

"Oh~ Cheval Blanc?" the woman cooed, "my, my, how fancy."

"Only the best for my love," the man smiled.

(Y/n) gagged at the sight. Shouto took one last sweep of the area before coming to the conclusion that no one was around. He caught (Y/n)'s eyes, still a lively (e/c) before he nodded. (Y/n) grinned, his white bikaku sprouting from his lowers black in a tail-like form. Shouto's black bikaku type kagune did the same, his grey eye flooding ebony and his irises screaming with red. (Y/n)'s left did the same as he allowed himself to slightly give in to his hunger. 

The two lowered themselves slowly with their kagune, faces almost blank as they interrupted the sweet moment the elder couple was having. As the couple looked up at them, fear slowly overflowing the dams and into their eyes, both of the young half ghouls grinned, already having a feeling of how this might go. 

(Y/n) grinned as he separated from Shouto slightly, allowing himself to come closer to the ground as he watched the couple's eyes spill their feelings. The man tugged at the woman's hand, doing one of two things. First, signaling her to run— second bringing attention the obviously expensive ring on her finger. 

Shouto lowered himself and split his seemingly joined kagune into two, using one to hold onto the railing of the building he was gripping, the other whipping past him to snatch the woman away. Shouto then nodded at his partner, squeezing the struggling woman tighter as she gasped in pain. Both of the young teens were surprised that she had yet to scream, but they would rip the blood-curdling noise out of her soon enough. Shouto turned the woman to face (Y/n), who had by now easily captured the man in his grasp. 

"No, no, please! I'll give you whatever you want," the man pleaded, "just don't hurt her, please!"

"Aww... look at him beg, he's just like a puppy!" (Y/n) chuckled, the sound swiftly turning, "you know sir, puppies are cute, funny, they beg, too— but more than anything they're stupid. Kind of like you, don't you think?"

The man didn't respond, which aggravated (Y/n) in his already hungered stated. Said teenager happily used his bare hand to rip the older male's arm off. The cracking of the bones dislodging and the satisfying tear of the tough flesh was music to his ears. The blood that gushed from the man caused (Y/n)'s stomach to grumble as the man bellowed in agony.

"You know, Mr., it's been a while since I've eaten..." (Y/n) trailed off, "even for us ghouls, two months is quite a while. Especially since we're kids, y'know."

The man let out another tortured noise as (Y/n) yanked a lock of his hair out, simply for the fun of it. (Y/n) tore his other arm at the elbow, not entirely taking it off. The man cried out, ugly snot and tears going down his face as half of his arm hung there, oozing burgundy and smelling of iron. 

The woman finally began to scream and cry as she was forced to watch the scene in front of her. Shouto crushed her knees and relished in the pained sounds she released, as well as the wonderful sound of the bones and cartilage crunching beneath her. He laughed, enjoying the experience to the fullest.

"I'm starving, sir, I really am," (Y/n) fake pleaded, "I'm starving, but I'm starting to think that I don't actually want to eat you." 

"What..?" the man croaked out, his throat sore from his fit. Pain and knowledge filled his eyes as they watered.

"You see, I'm starting to think that your lady friend here might even taste better," (Y/n) taunted, "I mean, I have a sweet tooth, and she looks like she'll fulfill that more than you could..."

"No! Stop, please! Don't do it! Eat me instead!" he begged, desperation flowing from his tone.

"Then again, she doesn't beg like you do..." (Y/n) teased— played with the man more, "maybe I will eat you, but I'll make her watch."

Shouto covered the woman's mouth with his kagune, making sure that she could scream no longer as she watched the man be slowly pulled apart. When (Y/n) got to his leg, he ripped it off from the knee down, then threw the bloody limb at the woman's face, letting her smell the iron as blood stained her clothes. 

The man was pale, taking his last breaths shallowly. He was too weak to yell, too weak to scream, too weak to mess with at this point. (Y/n) frowned at this as he carelessly tossed the man to the side, knocking over the expensive bottle of wine and the white roses in the process. He looked at Shouto, grinning wildly. The black masked teen haphazardly flung her to the ground, he kagune joining back into one behind him and as finally allowed himself contact with the ground. (Y/n) lowered himself to the ground as well, meeting Shouto.

Shouto gauged out the woman's throat out, rendering her soundless. The two then began to, quenching their starvation at last. She wanted to yell out in pain, though at she could do was stare at her deceased husband as he died painfully. At least she could say there was something nice coming out of this. She was allowed to pass while glancing pitifully at a curious sight. The spilled Cheval Blanc staining to petals of a single white burnet rose, unlucky enough to fall from the rest— just she was unlucky enough to fall those not involved in this horrid mess. 

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