Ryzen's place of business, a small, cluttered building, had never been more chaotic. It was already packed with random junk and scavenged items from the apocalypse—broken radios, parts of old machinery, piles of scrap metal, and furniture that looked like it had been thrown together by a mad scientist. And in the middle of it all, Espen was darting around like a whirlwind of energy.

"Be careful with that!" Ryzen shouted, his voice half-panicked as he watched Espen grab a stack of rusty chairs and flip them over with a loud clang. "Those are... uh, important! I have to look presentable in front of clients!"

Espen ignored him, her eyes glittering with excitement as she tossed the chairs together. She grabbed a few old crates, a pile of scrap wood, and what looked like the door of a refrigerator, jamming them all together to create a makeshift table. "This'll do perfectly!" she chirped, her grin wide and wild as she slapped the final piece into place with a loud bang.

Ryzen's eye twitched as he watched in horror. "Shes gonna break everything here…"

Espen twirled around, grabbing another chair and tossing it onto a growing stack of furniture. "Relax, Ryzen! You've been hoarding this junk, and it's time we actually use it!" She winked at him as she balanced a chair on top of a box. "Look! It's a table now. You can't eat on a pile of scrap metal, right?"

Ryzen opened his mouth to argue, but before he could get a word out, Espen dashed over to him, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "There! That should calm you down!" she said with a playful wink.

Ryzen froze, his face turning bright red. He stood there, completely flustered, his hand instinctively reaching up to touch the spot on his cheek where she kissed him. His mind went blank, and for a moment, he forgot about the chaos around him. "Uh... y-yeah... sure..."

'That witch! Planting those demonic lips on me, and I let her. I can't help it.'

Espen giggled and spun around, her energy seemingly endless. "Gunjo! Get those flames ready!" she called out to the rooster, who was sitting in the corner of the room, carefully crafting a small bed for the egg. He had found an old blanket and some pieces of soft cloth, and he was arranging them meticulously, speaking to the egg in a low, dramatic voice.

"There, there, little one," Gunjo murmured, gently tucking the egg into its makeshift nest. "Soon, you'll hatch, and you'll see the world. It's a rough one out here, but I'll make sure you're safe. No one's gonna hurt you. Not while I'm around."

Espen rolled her eyes, laughing. "Gunjo, enough with the egg monologues! We've got food to cook! Get those white flames going!"

Gunjo shot her a glare but reluctantly stood up, his wings ruffling as he stretched. "Right, fine. But you better treat this egg with respect. He's sensitive…"

Espen waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, it's in good hands. Now, Ryzen!" she shouted, turning to him. "Grab the zombie meat from the bag and toss it over here! I'll slice it up, and Gunjo can cook it with his flames."

Ryzen, still recovering from the kiss on the cheek, blinked and shook his head, trying to focus. He walked over to the large bag of zombie meat they had scavenged earlier, the stench hitting him like a freight train. His face twisted in disgust as he opened the bag, and a wave of rot and decay wafted into the air.

"Oh god, that's... that's nasty," Ryzen groaned, covering his nose with his sleeve.

Espen, now standing by the makeshift table with her sharp fingers ready, giggled. "Come on, Ryzen! It's not that bad. Just toss it over!"

Ryzen reached into the bag, his stomach churning as his fingers sank into the cold, slimy meat. He gagged, yanking out a large chunk of it, dripping with something he didn't even want to identify. "Ugh, I think I'm gonna throw up..."

He threw the meat toward Espen, who caught it effortlessly, her fingers slicing through it like a hot knife through butter. She twirled around with the chunks of meat, tossing them into the air and slicing them into perfect bite-sized pieces in mid-air. "Woohoo! Look at that! I'm a chef!"

Ryzen, still gagging, grabbed another handful of zombie meat, this time almost retching as the smell hit him even harder. "I swear... this is the worst thing I've ever done in my life."

Espen laughed as she caught the next piece of meat. "Come on, tough guy! You've fought hordes of monsters, and you're telling me a little zombie meat is gonna take you down?"

Ryzen shot her an exaggerated look of horror. "This isn't little zombie meat. This is... this is biohazard level gross!" He tossed another chunk of it toward her, almost losing his balance as he did.

Each time he reached into the bag, it was like he was battling his own gag reflex. His face twisted with disgust, his stomach doing flips.

'I absolutely hate this. But damn…it feels good to be part of something. It's not like being alone with my own business, taking small client jobs. I could stop everything, but I won't. I enjoy this, but I hate this zombie meat shit. I finally feel somewhat important. And it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't met Espen.'

Once all the meat was sliced into neat, albeit grotesque, pieces, Espen motioned for Gunjo to step up. "Alright, Rooster! Time to shine!" she said, clapping her hands together excitedly.

Gunjo cracked his knuckles, his sharp beak twitching as he rolled his shoulders. "Step back, amateurs. Watch how it's done."

He raised his hands, and immediately, white flames ignited, dancing along his fingers. The heat was intense, and the air around him shimmered as his wings spread out, flames licking the edges of his feathers. He leaned forward and, with a quick motion, unleashed a controlled burst of white fire over the zombie meat.

The meat sizzled and popped as the flames enveloped it, the rancid smell of decay morphing into something... surprisingly appetizing. The rotting scent was replaced by the aroma of cooking flesh, though there was still a faint underlying stench of death that clung to the air.

Gunjo smirked, his eyes gleaming with pride. "Told you. Perfect control."

Espen stood back, hands on her hips, watching as the meat cooked under Gunjo's flames. "It's gonna be delicious!" she declared, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

After a few minutes, the zombie meat was cooked to... well, as cooked as zombie meat could get. The pieces were laid out on the makeshift tables Espen had created, their browned, charred surfaces looking surprisingly edible, despite the faint smell of rot still lingering in the air.

"Now, for the final touch!" Espen exclaimed, pulling something from her pocket. She held up a handful of grass.

Ryzen blinked. "Uh... Espen, what is that?"

Espen grinned mischievously as she sprinkled the grass over the meat, like a chef adding a garnish. "It's your world's spinach, obviously! You can't have a meal without some healthy stuff!"

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Ryzen stared at the grass, his expression somewhere between disbelief and amusement.

Ryzen looked away, thinking, 'Damn she's cute, man. I'M SO LUCKY. Stupid Berserkers wish they were me.'

He turned back around, saying, "That is grass."

"Hmm? I thought I was walking on a bunch of spinach. Oh well!"

Espen turned toward Ryzen, her eyes wide and sparkling with excitement. She gave a little twirl, her hair whipping around her face as she smiled at him, her sharp teeth gleaming. "So? How does it look?"

Ryzen, still standing by the table, found himself momentarily speechless. He had seen Espen in a lot of different situations—usually covered in blood, laughing maniacally as she tore through enemies—but now, in the dim light of the hideout, with her wild energy focused on something as simple as a meal, she looked... beautiful.

Her eyes caught the light just right, her chaotic grin, her excitement—it was all so genuine, so her. And for a moment, all of Ryzen's usual sarcasm and bravado melted away.

He stared at her, still holding his cheek where she had kissed him earlier, and gave a small, almost shy smile. "Yeah, Espen... it looks amazing."

Espen's grin widened, clearly pleased with the response, though she had no idea how much more Ryzen was seeing in that moment. "Good! Now, let's dig in!"

Gunjo rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he sat down at the makeshift table. "This better not kill me..."

Espen replied, "It shouldn't have any effect on you at this point. It's incredible how you were able to fight against my fathers blood. And if you're sane in that state you're in now, you shouldn't be affected by it anymore. You're kind of like Ryzen now."

"Sweet. I dig it."

Ryzen rolled his eyes, "I don't want this chicken to be like me."

"I'll burn you." Gunjo replied.

"I'm surprised your own flames haven't turned you into a chicken breast."

"That was a good one. Let's see who's stronger though."

Ryzen grinned, "Fine with me. Espen, turn into a scythe."

Espen smiled, "Okay!"

Gunjo scoffed in fear, "Wow! You're actually just gonna slaughter me because he said so?! Thought we were friends!"

Ryzen stared down at the plate in front of him, his face twisted in a grimace. The formerly rotting zombie meat, now charred and sprinkled with Espen's "spinach," sat there, steaming and oddly... fragrant. But no matter how good it might have looked—or how much Gunjo's flames had masked the smell of death—he couldn't shake the fact that it had once been part of a walking corpse.

His stomach churned just thinking about it.

Gunjo, sitting across the table, had already started digging in, tearing into the meat with a kind of savage hunger. He paused just long enough to glance at Ryzen, noticing his reluctance. "What's wrong, human?" Gunjo growled between bites. "Too good for zombie meat?"

Ryzen grimaced, inching his plate away from him. "I'm not eating that."

Gunjo raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated. "I'll give you 500 clips."

Ryzen's eyes twitched at the mention of clips. He mumbled something under his breath, glancing up with his eyes closed. "You still owe me clips... chicken," he muttered, just loud enough for himself to hear but not wanting to say it out loud.

Gunjo's feathers ruffled, but his response was drowned out by Espen, who was watching the interaction with an amused grin. She bounced over to Ryzen, practically glowing with excitement. "Aw, come on, Ryz! Just one bite! You'll love it, I promise!"

Ryzen shook his head, still looking at the plate like it was toxic. "Nope. Not happening."

Espen pouted, leaning in closer to him, her voice taking on a playful, almost teasing tone. "Pleaaaase? Just one tiny bite?"

Ryzen crossed his arms, his resolve firm. "Not a chance."

Espen's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Well, if you won't eat it on your own…" And before Ryzen could react, she grabbed a piece of the cooked zombie meat, popped it into her mouth, and then leaned in much closer to him.

His eyes widened in surprise as she closed the gap between them, her lips suddenly pressing against his. For a split second, Ryzen was lost in the sensation of her warmth, the softness of her lips, the sudden rush of her breath mingling with his. But then—

His eyes flew open as he felt something slip from her mouth into his. The piece of zombie meat. His brain short-circuited as he realized what had just happened—Espen had *transferred the food* from her mouth to his, all while kissing him.

His face turned bright red, his body going rigid as his mind struggled to catch up with what was happening. She pulled back, a sly grin on her lips as she watched his reaction. "There! Now you've had a taste!"

Ryzen blinked, still flustered and frozen, his mouth full of the questionable meat. It took him a second to chew and swallow, all while trying to process the kiss—and the fact that he'd just eaten zombie meat.

Espen giggled, clearly pleased with herself. "See? Not so bad, right?" she teased, licking her lips, her eyes sparkling with mischievous intent.

Ryzen, still stunned, blinked. "I... uh... I..."

Before he could finish, Espen leaned in again, this time moving even slower, her lips brushing against his once more. She kissed him deeply, sensually, and once again transferred another piece of meat into his mouth. His entire body tensed as he felt the warmth of her lips and the sensation of the food passing between them. He wanted to resist, but something about the way she moved, the way she smiled at him through the kiss, made it impossible.

Over and over, she did it—each kiss more lingering, more intense than the last. Each time, she slid another piece of the meat into his mouth, and each time, Ryzen felt his heart pound harder. His mind was a mess of confusion and desire, torn between wanting to push her away and being completely captivated by the way she teased him.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the plate was empty, and Espen pulled back, her lips leaving his with one last playful nip. "There! You've eaten, and now we're all full!"

Ryzen sat there, completely dazed, his cheeks flushed, his body still tingling from the kisses. He stared at Espen, utterly speechless.

The three of them sat around the makeshift table, bellies full and the smell of cooked meat still lingering in the air. The meal had been surprisingly satisfying, despite Ryzen's initial reluctance. The food, though strange and unsettling, had filled them all up, and now they lounged around, feeling the weight of their feast.

Ryzen leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach with a satisfied sigh. "Well... that wasn't the worst thing I've ever eaten."

Gunjo grunted in agreement, wiping his beak with a piece of cloth. "You just needed a little push. A kiss from a zombie girl from hell it seems."

Ryzen shot him a glare, his face still burning from Espen's "push." "Yeah, yeah..."

But then, as the quiet settled over the room, Ryzen's stomach let out a low, ominous gurgle. He froze, his eyes widening as the sound echoed through the room. His stomach twisted, and suddenly, he felt an intense pressure building inside him.

Gunjo, ever the opportunist, smirked. "What's the matter? That zombie meat not sitting right?" he teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Before Ryzen could respond, Gunjo's own stomach let out a loud gurgle, and his smirk quickly faded. His feathers puffed up slightly as he clutched his stomach. "Oh... oh no...fuck.."

Ryzen pointed at Gunjo, "Haha! Who's laughing now?!"

Gunjo replied, "Damn you!"

Espen burst out laughing, clutching her sides as she pointed at the two of them. "Aaah! You guys are so weak! I told you I'm from hell—we don't get sick from stuff like this!"

Ryzen and Gunjo looked at Espen with a sarcastic "really" look, both in sync.

But then, as if on cue, Espen's stomach let out a thunderous growl, and her laughter died in her throat. She stared down at her stomach, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What the...? Impossible!"

Gunjo grinned, despite his discomfort. "Oh, really? Guess your 'hell immunity' isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Espen groaned, clutching her stomach as the pressure built. "This can't be happening! This is... ugh..."

Gunjo, now sweating and clearly in pain, turned to Ryzen, his eyes narrowing. "Alright, where's your place of personal business? The bathroom?"

Espen added onto the growing urgency, her face twisted in discomfort as she clutched her stomach. "Yeah, Ryzen….. where's the bathroom? Fast."

Ryzen, feeling the pressure building to unbearable levels, glanced toward the door, his eyes wild with panic. "There's only room for one!" he shouted, and without waiting for a response, he bolted toward the door, clutching his stomach as he ran.

'Fools! Only I know my shit spot!'

The others were right behind him in an instant, Espen and Gunjo pushing and shoving each other, both desperate to be the first one through the door. "Move, chicken!" Espen growled, shoving Gunjo to the side.

"Get out of my way, you psycho!" Gunjo squawked, flapping his wings to push her back.

Ryzen reached the door first and yanked it open, but before he could make it through, Gunjo grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back. "Not so fast, human!"

Espen, not to be outdone, tackled both of them, sending all three of them tumbling out the door and onto the ground outside.

As they lay there in a heap, groaning and clutching their stomachs, they suddenly became aware of a shadow looming over them. Slowly, they looked up.

Standing there, looking down at them with a bored expression, was a girl. She had twin buns of black hair, striking green eyes, and wore a shirt that was a bit too small, paired with high white socks that reached her knees. A rifle was slung casually over her shoulder, and a sucker dangled from her mouth as she stared at them with mild interest.