An Unusual Meal
The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow through the forest as Harry busied himself by the small, makeshift campfire he’d built. He hummed softly, pulling out a small, charred pot from his pack.
Teeth sat nearby, watching with an intensity that bordered on fascination. The giant, eyeless creature was surprisingly well-mannered, especially when Harry was cooking.
Tom, however, stood off to the side, his arms crossed and brow furrowed in a mixture of curiosity and mild confusion. He had learned many strange things since returning to Harry’s world, but this was one of the oddest.
Harry glanced over at Tom as he stirred something in the pot. “You’ll want to stay back for this part,” he warned, giving Tom an amused glance. “Trust me, it’s better if you don’t get too close.”
Tom raised an eyebrow. “What, exactly, are you cooking?”
Harry didn’t answer immediately, instead sliding a knife out of his pack and cutting into what looked like a meat joint. Tom’s stomach lurched. It had a strange texture. Too… human.
“Harry,” Tom said slowly, his voice tight with disbelief, “you’re not telling me that—”
Harry grinned at him, not breaking his focus as he worked. “Yep. It’s human meat. Just like the kind Teeth likes.” He threw the meat into the pot and stirred it slowly, as though this were the most normal thing in the world.
Tom blinked. He wasn’t sure if he should be horrified or impressed. He’d known Harry was strange, even for someone who had walked the path of dark magic, but this was a new level.
“What…” Tom’s voice faltered. “Where did you even get that?”
Harry shrugged nonchalantly. “You’re not really concerned about that, are you? Besides, Teeth needs it to stay strong. You should be grateful.” He glanced up at Tom, noting the look of disbelief on his face. “I’m not feeding him just any random animal.”
Teeth let out a low, hungry growl, eyes wide and alert. The creature’s massive arm flicked, and Harry could practically hear the unspoken plea for the food to be ready sooner.
Tom took a step back, feeling suddenly unsettled. “You—you’re cooking human meat for your monster?”
Harry chuckled. “Yeah. You’re going to have to get used to it. You’re living with us now. Things are a bit… different here.”
Teeth, clearly delighted by the idea of the meal, let out a low, resonant rumble of approval. It made a deep, almost amused sound, its massive body shifting with a predatory grace.
Tom blinked, his mind struggling to process. He’d heard of dark magics, of unspeakable rituals, but this was… well, this was different. His gaze moved between Harry and Teeth, who seemed to be eagerly waiting for the meal.
“You’re… feeding it…” Tom started again, his voice quieter now. “Human flesh?”
Harry raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, that’s what I said.” He poked at the pot again, the rich smell of the cooking meat wafting through the air. “It’s not like it’s going to hurt anyone. And it’s fresh.” He looked over at Teeth, who was practically salivating. “Right, buddy?”
Teeth gave an eager, almost affectionate growl, sending a ripple through the air. It was clear the creature was entirely content with the idea of the meal.
Tom glanced down at the ground, trying to steady himself. He could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind. He’d been around dark magic for years, but this was something else entirely.
He looked at Harry, who seemed completely at ease with what was happening. "And you’re okay with this?" he asked cautiously. “You cook it?”
Harry grinned, stirring the pot with practiced ease. “Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not that big of a deal.” He seemed completely unfazed, even as Tom’s mind whirled with confusion. “Teeth needs it. It’s a good source of energy. And as for me, well… it’s kind of like a ritual. I’ve been doing it for a while.”
Tom’s gaze shifted to the pot, then back to Harry. "You’ve cooked this before?"
“Oh, yeah,” Harry said matter-of-factly, taking the pot off the fire. “It’s really just a matter of getting the seasoning right. You’d be surprised how much salt it needs.” He flashed a teasing grin at Tom.
Tom swallowed hard, his mind still processing what he was hearing. He knew Harry was strange, but this… this was a different level of odd.
Harry stood, carefully placing a steaming plate of meat in front of Teeth, who immediately dove in with an almost frightening enthusiasm. The monster’s massive claws scraped against the plate, gnawing hungrily.
"Well," Harry said, turning back to Tom with a satisfied look, "that’s lunch."
Tom just stared at Harry, his mind still trying to grasp what had just happened. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, he just shook his head in disbelief.
Harry turned to him, eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and something darker. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. Soon, you’ll probably want some too.”
Tom’s eyes widened as he processed the unspoken challenge. “I think I’ll pass.”
Harry just smiled as Teeth finished its meal, the creature letting out a contented rumble.
"Yeah," Harry said, looking at Tom with a smirk, "I thought you might."