Mooralan grabs a giant bag of what looks like popcorn at first, but the puffy things inside are definitely moving.
We hurry to the concert and my bracelet beeps as we cross through the door.
The space is full of booths and tables and I look around at the literal feasts that are laid out in front of some of them.
And when the lights dim and the music starts, a pang hits my stomach like a hammer. “Oh,” I whisper.
Mooralan winks at me as he pops a handful of the puffs into his mouth and Ferrok twines his fingers in mine under the table.
I am not going to have a problem eating thiswholecheesecake by myself.
CHAPTER 5
When the concert’s over, everyone just kind of slumps in sated satisfaction. In the middle of the booth, with my head on Mooralan’s shoulder, and my legs draped across Ferrok’s lap, I don’t want to get up.
All that’s left of my cheesecake is the disk it was supported on and I licked that clean.
“I might not need to feed my sweet tooth for a month,” I say softly.
Ferrok’s hand strokes my leg like he’s petting me. “Do humans only have one tooth for sweet things?”
I can’t help but laugh. “No, sorry, it’s just an expression.” And then, because I’m in a sharing mood. “We taste things with our tongue.”
Through his pants, Ferrok’s cock nudges at my leg and I know he’s thinking about what he’s felt from my tongue.
But he doesn’t mention it, so I don’t either.
People slowly start to get up and clear out, leaving their tables absolute messes. But the tables and chairs sink into the floor as soon as they’re vacated… the booths too.
When I stop to watch ours descend, Mooralan dips his head down close to my ear. “They’re cleared and sprayed down with a sanitizer before they come back up.”
“Cool.”
There is no staff, no one to clear the place out. It’s silent when we leave and then, it’s loud again.
The district is fuller than it was before and I wonder about the times on the station. It feels like a busy night, even though the light level hasn’t changed.
“So,” I say, glancing around. “What else did you have planned for the night?”
I expect a comment about going home with one or both of them. Or even going back to Phantoms. It doesn’t come. Neither of them even look at the capsule hotel.
“I should go home and sleep.” Mooralan says as he looks down at me, “Being tired is not compatible with my job.”
“And I like you with your current number of fingers.”
Ferrok says something in a language I don’t understand and Mooralan nods.
“And I should go as well.” He asks for my hand, and once again gives me a side-beak kiss. “I hope to encounter you again, here, or there.”
“Me too.”
With another glance at Mooralan, Ferrok leaves us, walking casually through the crush of people.
One of his eyes looks back at us, but only once.
“What did he say before he left?”
“Despite the fact that I informed him there is no agreement between us, he does not want to interfere.”
