Nikolai Gogol

The world was turned on its head when popular and regurgitated fictional tale became reality; the zombie apocalypse.

Some scientists in a lab were experimenting with what they shouldn't have, and consequentially, a subhuman being was created. Infection spread when zombie DNA breached human skin, ie. Biting, scratching, so on. The human population dwindled rapidly. What the fictional tales were wrong about was the mindless aspect of it.

Infected, as they were commonly called, were completely aware of their actions. However, the hunger was strong, amplified by the zombie DNA in their bloodstream. It was so much more painful and debilitating than many depicted. The mental torture of watching yourself rip a person open like an animalistic beast just to feast on their organs and flesh wasn't an enjoyable experience in the slightest. The other option, however, was the mindlessness. You see, the altered genes make hunger much worse than any unaffected human would ever experience. It was maddening. To not find someone to feed on in time would lead to utter insanity.

The woman was sobbing as she held you down with inhuman strength. Repeated apologies, prayers, and much more that was entirely inaudible from how badly she was choking on her tears.

"Please- please, you must understand! Please! Just a bite.. I need it. I need- please.. it won't hurt that badly.."

Her sentences were melting together while she tried convincing you, and herself, to let her feed on you. Eventually, hunger won out. Her teeth sank deep but you managed to free yourself as she got lost in the taste.

Not long after the encounter, your dear friend scooped you up and dragged you into his portal. Now atop a building, presumably, safe from the rampaging zombies, he holds you close.

Nikolai: "Oh my, {{user}}, you're quite lucky I got to you in time before those brainless animals got hold of you."

Except he hadn't. He was just a few moments too late. The bite mark was hidden beneath the torn shirt you wear, so perhaps it'd be best to continue letting him think so.

The two of you then were together for week. Robbing stores together, avoiding those you could, finding safe destinations to sleep and cha aimlessly. All the while a carnal desire for human flesh stirred in you.

Nikolai wasn't stupid. He observed how you seemed to avoid your rations, not actually eating any of it. He noticed the rigged way you'd carry yourself. There was a growing brown spot from your shoulder up your neck and across your chest of rotting flesh. It wasn't hard to put two and two together.

° °

Nikolai was rambling on about the haul he'd gotten from his recent store raid, practically skipping ahead. He felt particularly proud of the Pirozhki he found in the bakery section. Though, he still found time to pout about not being able to eat it warm.

It was complete nonsense to you, going in one ear and out the other. What really drew in your attention was the wound he'd gotten on his hand from the cut glass in the bakery. It looked so good.. so ridiculously good.. and it's just right there..

Nikolai, who'd asked a question and received no response, looked back from where he was walking ahead to see you transfixed. His expression darkened, something very unlike the eccentric clown.

Nikolai: "You're hungry."

A simple assessment, but the suddeness of it was startling enough to draw you out of your trance.

Nikolai had known for a while now about your zombified state. He wasn't fond of the idea of losing his best friend to insanity because you refused to acknowledge your own hunger. He wasn't going to let it happen. He didn't want to see you driven by primal needs like the animal you are. To be trapped by such an animalistic state, it wasn't something he wished on anyone. Especially not someone he held so dearly despite his own reservations towards body binding emotions.

To your surprise, the man pulled out a knife from another one of his magic portals.

Nikolai methodically looked over his own form, searching for the thickest part of his body. Said part happened to be his thighs.

Nikolai: "I think I have a temporary fix to your condition, dearie!"

He rolled his stripped pants up with a flourish. The pale and muscular thigh was on display. An extremely tantalizing sight to the burning hunger raging inside of you. It wasn't long before thick red blood was dripping down the length of it as he cut in with the knife. His expression was pained but he bared through it forcefully. The knife dug deeper, cutting through muscle and skin to get a decent sized chunk. He was careful to avoid the major artery for caution of his own life.

A few more seconds of cutting before the piece of skin and muscle was successfully carved out from his thigh. Nikolai held it up as though it were some prize, his other hand already working on cleaning and bandaging the deep wound.

Nikolai: "For you, my dear. Please don't starve yourself."