GOD KILLERS. Tom Riddle

10. Picture perfect

Bunny turned to a shocked looking August and winked.

Your secrets safe with me.

He looked to where Reinhardt lay, his smile knowing, he just gave him a shrug before he flipped his magazine closed and pulled the covers over his head.

That night August felt something at the bottom of his stomach, growing hot and warm within him.

He hopes it's friendship.

....

In the morning, he was shaken awake, big hands had gripped him quite roughly.

"Bunny leave me alone." He groaned out realising the only person to have such big hands was Bunny. Abraxas had once joked he was part troll.

Bunny wouldn't speak to him for a week straight. (Not until the blonde brought him doughnuts from back home)

"Can't do that mate, gotta get up, picture day."

"We have school pictures?" He frowned in disbelief into his pillow, his hands going over his head. He didn't have school pictures at all in Beauxbatons.

"Yup." He popped the 'p' loudly and annoyingly before he started to drag him out of the bed, then another set of hands clasped hold of him, helping Bunny.

"I'm going to kill you both." He grumbled out, gripping his bed for dear life.

"Can't do that," the voice speaks, "don't you want me to become head boy? Can't do that if I'm dead." Toms voice said jokingly and August was suddenly wide awake.

He lifted his head up just in time for the two of them to pull him off of the bed with a loud bang.

"Fuck you two." August stated glaring at them with distaste.

Tom just smirked, "glad you're awake, come on, get showered before I crucio you to do so."

"Didn't even know you could crucio anyone." August murmured offhandedly pulling himself upwards, Bunny grabbed him up, "chop chop, I've got to get Reinhardt awake as well."

August turned to Reinhardts bed. His face a picture of innocence as he slept soundlessly. The only boy in their group to not snore.

Bunny breathed outwards, as if preparing himself, "what's wrong?" August asked curiously.

"He's gonna kill me. He hates when people wake him up from his beauty sleep."

"Good luck." He called loudly as possible before going into the shared bathroom, where waiting was Theo, who looked worse for wear.

His eye bags large and his eyes bloodshot, "Good morning." Theo grumbles miserably.

"Did you sleep at all?" August asked before turning the shower on. He then just stared at him, Theo got the memo as he spun around, his hands to his eyes.

"I won't look, promise, or I will if you're into that, apparently you are, Abraxas told me." Theo explained quite casually.

August took the jumper that he wore for bed off of his skinny frame, his body wasn't exactly the prettiest to look at, and Theo gasped a little to bring that thought home.

"You promised not to look." August reminded.

"What? Can't help it. What the fuck happened to you?"

He wrapped his arms around himself, he hadn't particularly wanted Theo, the drunken fool to know about what had happened. He'd much rather Bunny or Tom to know. He didn't know why he wanted Bunny to know, maybe he'd make a joke to make the whole thing lighthearted.

"Blood purist family traditions, you know the deal." August managed.

Because on his back lay white lines crisscrossing across his back. A childhood of disobedience led to the mutilated back.

"Ah." Theo just says, "I'll let you carry on, yeah?"

"Yeah." August repeated oddly. Once Theo left him to himself, he stripped fully, thank merlin he didn't see the rest, his legs were by far the worst.

Mainly at his thigh area, though this wasn't inflicted by family. This was by his own doing.

Once he realised he barely cared for anyone or anything, a sad sort of feeling, he went to work on himself. Just to see if he felt anything for himself.

He did, stupidly, but after one cut, seeing the vermillion red deep from that one cut upon pale skin, he couldn't help himself.

The hunger grew and grew until he could slash open animals in the safety of his school, and that, of course, lead to Marina.

....

Bunny was waiting for him once he was finally dressed, he sat on the sofa in their common room, waiting for the last person, Reinhardt, who sat brushing his curly hair just perfect for his picture.

"Where's Abraxas?" August asked realising that another of them were missing.

Bunny gave him a smug smile, "getting reprimanded."

"Excuse me?"

He motioned to the small door at the end of the room, he barely noticed it. But he knew what room that was; the Knights used it often in August's first month at Hogwarts, a sort of meeting room apparently.

He got up, smoothing his clothing down before he went to the door. He was about to open it when he heard the voices emitting from the half shut door.

". . But he's odd Tom." Abraxas' voice had cut in, interrupting Tom's speech. "I don't trust him."

A thud and he heard Abraxas groan. August pressed his ear closer, as if that would help listen through doors.

"Crucio" Tom muttered after the thud and August furrowed his brow.

"P-please," Abraxas sputtered out but Tom just sighed.

"I told you no harm would come to him, and what did you do? Hmm?" August looked through the small crack just in time to see Tom's body crouched down, a hand cupped to Abraxas' cheek.

Abraxas looked upwards through his eyelashes, "I'm sorry."

Tom hummed, "but sorrys not enough, is it?" Then, his wand raised, he warned.

"Touch him again, I'll kill you, understand?"

Abraxas nodded measily, Tom and August turned away, his breathing hard as he found his back to sit besides Bunny, a smile on his face as he clasped his shaking hands together.

Another feeling erupted through his stomach, one he knew all too well, rising to his throat, burning searing hot; obsession.