[ He keeps moving, nice and slow — staying a few feet back, not entering Kieren's personal space, but it's closer. It's close enough that it could be considered dangerous for him. But he stays there, lowering even more towards the ground. No matter how weakened his body has become these days, he's still capable of a certain physical ability, legs easily holding his own weight as he crouches there nearby, allowing one hand to gently touch the ground just to give him an extra security for balance.

He listens to Kieren, chest tight and throat hollow. 'Nobody can help.' 'I don't want to.' It's a certain helplessness, a remorse, a guilt, a horror. Konstantin may not know exactly what's going on with him, but oh, it hurts. It's familiar, and it hurts to hear it in another person now. ]

It's not something you can control, is it...? [ He realises, offers, gentle and sad. ]

Do you need to eat more? It's all right. You can keep eating. I'm not going to do anything. I just don't think you should be out here all alone, like this.

[ With all the blood... it could attract predators (..besides the boy). ]

[ 'It wasn't like this before.'

That catches his attention. Before... this place? Konstantin hangs onto every word, committing them all to memory. This place has had an effect on how he functions. Why not for other people with..... something unnatural going on?

But this isn't fully like how it is for him. He doesn't feel the hunger, doesn't have any craving for the dark red wet of something's insides. Maybe this is where he's headed, though. Before this place, he and the creature were.... assimilating, more and more. Perhaps its hunger was destined to become his own.

(Could this boy really have something like that inside of him, too?) However it is, it's clearly as hard for him to swallow down the brains of an animal as it is for Konstantin. His brow pinches in deeper empathy, but he can't reveal his own situation. Not yet. Maybe he can offer some kind of help, though. Something to make it... easier; he's found ways to help with his own situation. He hangs onto that thought for a bit later; for now, the cosmonaut eases closer to the younger, slowly. ]

No, [ he agrees; people can't know about this. ] If they thought you were dangerous to them, they could hurt you first. Or keep you locked up somewhere.

[ ....He knows how that is. But.. god, what to do, here? Konstantin stares at the boy, teeth worrying his lower lip for a moment. ]

Why don't you let me help you back, get you cleaned up? Doesn't have to be in town. There are plenty of places on the outskirts. [ His eyes fall to the ruined mess of gore staining the snow and he swallows. ] If you're still hungry, we'll bring some back and you can keep eating there, out of the cold, where it's safe. There are ways to make it easier... to make feeding like this easier.

[ Maybe that sounds... suspicious on his own part, but Konstantin can take a few risks. ]