The Last Bite of Cheri Cheesecake

I put my finger to her throat. The heartbeat was very low, almost imperceptible. She was cold. I swallowed nervously; she couldn't die now, right? No, that wasn't true; the myths were just that. The reality was, she still had to eat. Was this what happened if she ate the wrong thing? What if modern diseases brought from all over the world could affect the virus? I had to remind myself that she had said she might sleep for days, and this was how it would be. I made some microwave macaroni and cheese, and put myself to bed next to her. She didn't stir, even to complain about how much salt I'd just eaten.

*****

It took her three days to pry her eyes open.

"Hey sweetie," I said. "Feel better?"

"No," she croaked.

"Hungry?" I said.

"Yes."

I started to straddle her again, but she slipped away beneath the sheets saying, "I better not," and ate some cottage cheese and a banana before she took a scaldingly hot shower. Finally she came and flopped back on the bed.

"Don't need me any more?" I said.

"Oh, I do, but my head hurts so much. Can you just jerk yourself off and shoot it in my mouth right at the end?"

"That's a lot less fun."

"I know... I just really hurt today. I'm sorry. I wanted to earlier, but I was so hungry I was afraid I'd forget you aren't really edible, and then you'd hurt too."

"Oh. Not sexy."

"Really not."

"Are you going to get better?"

"I don't know. Like I said, I'll always want you. I don't know if I can always do everything I had envisioned though."

"See, this is why I'm a gentleman. Sometimes you actually need that."

"Fuck you. Jerk. Being all 'nice guy' and shit."

"I love you too."

She drifted away again clinging to my chest, with her middle finger raised. But her other hand was making the "I love you" in sign language, too.

*****

I had to pry her stiff fingers from me to get up the next morning. I considered going back to my own apartment; decided to do it for a little while. I locked up and turned the heat up, pulled the covers up over Cheri. She'd be OK while I was gone, even if she was like an ice sculpture.

I started going back to my old habits, eating junk food and playing a lot of video games. I read books on my eReader. I drove back every day, just to make sure she was still breathing; she didn't move much. She was eating a little, at least. I worried at this rate the perishables would go bad before she ate them, even if they were the smallest containers you could buy. I resolved to come eat some and replace it, rotating it out so that didn't happen. At least I'd force myself to eat healthier that way. I shopped for sex toys, but didn't buy them. I wasn't sure if I'd ever get a chance to use any.

Two weeks later, I got a text. I replied, then she replied.

c: I need you.

k: are you ok

c: I need to taste you

Well, that was all I needed to hear. When I went back, she had tied herself to the bed, with her ankles raised towards the headboard, and her head stuck through where she'd broken out one of the wooden baluster rods that supported the top edge of the headboard.

"Well, now, look who's all tied up with nowhere to go?"

"Fuck me," she growled.

"And you've given me a prime choice between your cunt and your throat."

"And my ass. Whichever you want."

"I've decided."

I stripped down just enough to get my dick hanging out of my pants, and slapped her cheek. Her lips opened and accepted me without complaint. After I was hard enough to watch her throat bulge up as I slid in, I pulled out.

"And this is what I've decided," I said.

I walked around and shoved my dick in her pussy.

"Oh, very good choice," she purred.

She was cold. Damn, she was cold. The whole house was freezing.

"Jesus, it's like fifty degrees in here," I said.

"More like a hundred and fifty, as hot as we are together. I'm recording this," she added.

I looked over. Sure enough, there was a camera on a tiny tripod on her dresser, pointed at us.

"What if I want to delete that?" I said.

"I can't stop you," she pouted. "Do as you will."

I didn't stop to turn it off, I just slowed down, adding some warming lube.

"Holy fuck you're like a hot poker from a fireplace in me," she gasped.

"Is that a bad thing?" I said.

"You feel amazing," she said.

"It kinda sounds like a bad thing."

"It's despicable, torturous, and shocking. I love it!"

Her legs started shaking with every movement, and I made sure to try every single angle I could find to see how loud I could make her yelp. I was so successful, I made a note to put blankets up over the windows to dampen the sound. As it was, I wanted to dig out a ball gag, but it would get in the way. When I was good and throbbing hard, I ran to the bathroom and rinsed the warming lube off really quick before I went back and stuffed her face again for my mighty finish. She was trembling and shivering after I walked over and sat down on the bed.

"Need a blanket?" I said.

"N-No. I'm perfect."

"Seriously, I just looked at the thermostat. It's literally fifty-five degrees in here. You're gonna freeze to death. I'm freezing to death, even."

"Let me out."

I untied her, and she pounced on top of me and laid her head on my sternum. We lay quietly for a minute.

"I swear to god I can see my breath in here," I said.

"Kyle... I think this is what I need. I woke up feeling miserable, several times. I ate, then went back to sleep. Over and over. Did I scare you? How long has it been?"

"Yeah, a little bit. It's been like two weeks."

"I was hurting so bad. I don't think I'm human anymore, Kyle."

"What does that mean?"

"I mean, I think my body needs different things than yours does. You haven't been sleeping over here any more."

"No. I come over here and check on you. But it's hard when you're just lying in bed and all my stuff's at my place."

"Move in, Kyle. That means bring your stuff here. I don't mind."

"OK, but - it's seriously cold in here. How are we going to make that work? I don't want to walk around in a parka in my own home."

"I'll get a window air conditioner. I'll sleep in the other room and shut the door. You don't have to be cold with me."

"Seems like that defeats the purpose of being here."

"Get a sleeping bag?"

"Yeah, maybe. I don't know about this anymore."

"I'm learning about myself. I have to sleep different, now. I'm figuring it out, Kyle, don't give up on me."

"Different how?"

"I used to sleep on my back. I can't do that anymore, I wake up in so much pain."

"Oh. So you're gonna be better in the mornings now?"

"Well, maybe. I might be just going to bed when you wake up. And I've been sleeping in the closet. Something about light coming in... oh crap, I know what it is! I need to get UV block treatment done on the windows."

"Or just board them up."

"Don't be silly. You don't want to live in a cave, and neither do I. Your eyes will deteriorate. Mine too, probably. Besides, the neighbors must think we're weird enough as it is, as much loud sex as we have."

"So you don't need Vitamin D anymore?"

"I think I still do. Most of my body works the same. My muscles still need all the same nutrients, and my other organs, maybe in different proportions than they used to. I'm still experimenting with my diet, and I'm still changing. I can't process the same way, and I can't get certain things where I used to - Vitamin D, to use your example, I can't get from sunlight anymore. But I still need it, I just don't know how much. It's tough, because I can't eat beets or carrots or onions, and I'm really going to miss sweet potatoes."

"Can you eat meat and get them?"

"To a small degree, probably. I can't eat animals that have fed on those vegetables, so that rules out pork at the very least, and most starchy foods that are used for feed don't have a lot of nutrients so, while I could eat them, it would not give me what I need. But I still need iron and other minerals of course, so that works."

"What's the nutrition profile of semen? What effect does my diet have on that?"

"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"I don't know. Are you thinking that I'm suggesting I might be able to give you some actual nutrition through the protein shake you're regularly drinking through my meat straw?"

"You know what I just realized? I need some more of that. Gimme!"

She slithered down and clamped herself around my abdomen, hungrily massaging my hardening dick with her lips and tongue and a generous amount of suction. She had the presence of mind this time to slow down and edge off my orgasm a few times though, and I came with a ridiculously loud scream of my own.

"Toldja we were loud," she gloated.

"So worth it," I panted, still convulsing under her. "You're right, you've changed."

"What do you mean? Is it better?"

"Your nipples are hard. Your whole breasts are so firm, both of them, it's almost like they're fake. I love it though."

"You don't think I look like a 3rd world street orphan?"

"No babe, you look fucking amazing. You're like the same personality, just magnified. All you, none of that baby fat or whatever that was holding you back."

"Ah, quit pulling my chain. You never went for the super skinny girls, I've seen your porn history."

"Hey! That's personal! What are you doing snooping around in there?"

Her face fell. "Getting in the wrong kind of trouble, I guess. I just wanted to know what you liked so I could talk to you about it. I'm sorry."

"Well... OK. But you need to ask me that kind of thing first."

"You're not mad?"

"I don't know. I'll need to think about it. But what did you think?"

"Like I said, I think you're not into super skinny girls."

"It's kinda hard not to watch skinny girls if you're looking at porn. They're everywhere."

"I know. But you watched all that big and natural breast stuff, you don't get that with skinny girls. That's just not how biology works."

"OK, true. What else did you think?"

"I think you like being in charge. That's part of why I'm submissive, I could be on top or whatever but it seems like you don't want that."

"Wait. You've been like that this whole time. When did you look at my porn history?"

"Uhm... oh god. I'm a terrible person, aren't I?"

"Answer the question," I glared at her.

"First time I slept over, I got up in the middle of the night and looked."

She hung her head, tearing up. I blew out a deep breath.

"Clearly we need to have a talk about boundaries."

"Do we? That is, clearly we do, but what boundaries could we have now? What boundaries do we have left at this point?"

"Do you not believe in privacy at all? Like having personal space and time to yourself and all of that?"

"Not really. I mean, we have separate bank accounts, and I'm not saying that should change, but I don't really want privacy. I want to be an open book, at least for you. I don't want to hold onto thoughts and desires because I'm afraid of sharing them, and then never get to actually have them just because I'm too chickenshit to speak up. I'm not saying you're a coward if you don't want to share something, I'm just describing myself. That's not what I want, for me."

"Do you think that attitude came out of your illness?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I may have subconsciously felt like I didn't have much time left, so I had nothing to lose by sharing everything. I still feel that way."

"I see."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about that. I just wanted to get closer to you."

"You don't think I'm sick or perverted?"

She snorted. "That'd be hella ironic coming from me, don't you think? No, I think you're a horny guy, and you like a lot of things that are normal. I won't say it's exactly healthy, because of the way porn tends to portray things, but you could definitely do worse than you did. I didn't take a statistical analysis of it or anything."

"Cuz when I think of porn, I think of spreadsheets," I quipped.

"Oh, talk nerdy to me, baby," she said with a wink.

We both laughed.

"Smart is definitely sexy, though," she added.

"Why do you like me, then? I'm so dumb I almost killed a girl without having a plan for afterwards."

"I could see questioning your wisdom, when you put it that way. But you're not stupid, there's a difference."

"I have to ask you. You did your research on this virus. But how certain were you that the virus was the cause? How did you know it wasn't really cancer?"

"I... had my doubts. The doctors weren't buying that theory, of course, but... Tests would come back one way, supporting the cancer theory. Then other tests wouldn't, or the same test would get different results. And like I said, it's been a long time since my family had anyone catch the special version, at least in an active state."

"How did you get it then? It transfers through the blood, right?"

"So far as we know. It hasn't been extensively tested, at least scientifically. If I had to guess I would say that the virus lingers somewhere around my family in a latent state that needs a trigger, and with me it triggered. I don't know if it's activated by genetics or something else. All I know is, I and my parents have seen the signs ever since I was a young child. I've never been out of the country, much less gone to the ancestral town. Hmm, maybe someone came from there for my christening though, I'm not sure."

"What if there's a cure? Would you get rid of it if you could?"

"There does seem to be lots of disadvantage, certainly a normal life is not possible anymore. But who knows... maybe I'll go to sleep for a few years and get to see the future when I wake up. That might be fun. Maybe we can find a way to cure aging from this. I'll wait until I'm old and you're gone before I go to a lab, though. I want to stay here with you as long as I can, whatever that means. Would I cure it if I got to live again? I don't know. Maybe."

"So you're OK with things now?"

"Kyle, one of the few things I'm sure of is that this circumstance has brought us very close together. I worried for a long time, first because of my rampant sexuality, then because of my illness; and I wasn't sure I would ever find anyone that touched me, emotionally. I'm super slutty on the outside, but I'm a woman that needs to be loved on the inside, too. Who else would love me now, being addicted to you? Who else even could? I could see myself fucking someone else, and being OK. But I don't see myself loving anyone else. You're so right for me, anything that works for us and makes us stronger... Yes. I'm very OK with it."

"Well, shit, I'll stop feeling bad for you then. I thought you were going through hell with all this uncertainty."

"Kyle, I don't know what's going to happen. But I do know I'm lucky. Some people really do just have cancer, and they don't get to have anything like the life I have, even if it's not what you or I might have chosen otherwise. Every day is an unexpected gift. You can still die, too; you get hit by a car and I'll still lose you. And then my life will be over anyway."

"Are you sure? You couldn't find someone else to fill that craving for you?"

"I... I mean, I don't think so. I've imprinted on you very strongly. If I did find someone, I'd still be thinking of you. I don't think it would work out very well. Do you think I should try it?"

"Geez. Do you want to?"

"No. I mean, not without your blessing. If you were watching and getting off on it, maybe. I still don't think it would be the same."

"Are you sure? You imprinted when you 'died' or whatever, right?"

"Yeah, so...?"

"So, you had two dicks in you at once right afterwards, when all that imprinting was happening. I mean, one of them was fake, but still. What if you had two in you at once for real?"

"Oh my god. That's... No, don't tempt me with that. Not unless you're serious."

"I dunno, maybe I am. You're so productive when you get what you want from me. What would happen if we matched the last scene even more?"

Her eyes went wide.

"You'd share me with another man? And that would be OK?"

"I mean, what have I got to lose? It's not like you're gonna leave me for him."

"I don't want you to think I'm dirty. Or used up. Or... you know. Any of those things they say about loose women these days."

"I think if your eyeball pops out and won't go back in like a zombie from the movies, I might have a problem. Otherwise? Nah. Worst case, I'll probably ask you to shower or whatever, then give it a few days, and it'll be fine. I mean it's not like you were a virgin when I met you, and that doesn't bother me."

Hey eyes brimmed with tears. "OK. We can talk about this some more, before we actually do it. And you can back out anytime if you're not comfortable. Just say something, I'll pull the plug."

"OK."

"I love you, Kyle."

"I love you too, Cheri."

*****

I woke late one November morning to muffled sounds coming from the bathroom. They didn't sound good.

"Cheri? You in there?"

Silence.

"Cheri? Everything OK?"

"Don't come in here!" she called out as I started to open the door.

"Uh, OK - wait, are you crying?"

"No, stay away!"

"Cheri, talk to me. What's going on?"

From the sound of her voice, she was at the sink, not the toilet. She didn't answer.

"Cheri-" I started to open the door and go in.

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!!" she screamed. "Go awayyyyy!"

"Cheri, we were doing so well after that talk yesterday. You can talk to me. Come on."

"NOOOOO!!"

I flew backwards, propelled by the ferocity of her slamming the door shut on me, fell to the floor, holding my head which had been bumped by the door. That was going to smart for awhile.

"Christ, Cheri! That hurt!"

I lost my anger as I heard her sobbing.

"Cheri... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Talk to me, please."

"I can't," she cried through deep gasping breaths.

"Are you hurting?"

"No."

Damn, it was still cold in here. I was still groggy and sleepy. I wanted more sleep, but now I was worried.

I grabbed a blanket off the bed, and wrapped myself up right by the bathroom door to wait.

*****

"Kyle..."

"Hm? Wha? Oh. I must have fallen asleep."

"Yeah."

"Cheri, please. I'm here for you."

"I know."

"OK. I guess I'll leave it alone. I've said my piece. I won't force you to talk if you don't want to."

"You waited for me. You promise you won't get upset?"

"I promise."

"Oh, who am I kidding, you can't promise that when you don't even know what it is. But I can't keep hiding forever. Tomorrow I'll want you again. And then..."

"Whenever you're ready. I'll wait. Tomorrow, next week, never, whenever it is."

She held her hand out silently.

"Uh..."

I just stared at it. She wasn't holding it like she wanted me to hold her hand, so... wait.

"Is that... a tooth?"

"Two," she whispered.

"Two teeth? They're yours?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. They just- I was going to go to bed, I started brushing my teeth like I always do. And then my gums were bleeding. And then..."

"Oh no. Bleeding? Do you need a dentist?"

"I think it's too late for that."

"What do you mean, too late?"

"They're loose. All of them. I can't eat another bite or they're all going to fall out."

"Oh Cheri, I'm so sorry. What can we do? Have you been eating enough calcium?"

"Kyle, I'm a nutritionist."

"Sorry. It's the obvious question."

"I know. Maybe I haven't been eating enough of it, actually. I don't know. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"So what can we do?"

"I don't think there's anything. I did a little searching online, poked around at them with my finger. The roots have atrophied, I don't think they can put them back. I'm going to keep them just in case, of course."

"Sure. Put them in some milk or something, right?"

"Yeah. Chances are, though, I am going to need dentures."