He pushes his tray aside and leans on his elbows. His gaze drops to my mouth.
“You keep looking at me like that,” he says, “and we’re gonna need a second shower.”
“You need food,” I say.
“I needyou.”
He sits back and takes a sip of coffee, still watching me over therim. Flirting without talking. He doesn’t know how bad this could get if he doesn’t behave.
“I like you in the morning,” he says. “You’re easy to torment.”
“I’m not easy to torment.”
“It’s very easy,” he says.
I narrow my eyes on him. He beams, satisfied. My eyes take in his. I imagine them rolling back while I bend him over this table. But the day’s still ahead of us. So I eat for now, knowing once the day’s done and I have him back in bed, I’ll show him what happens when he’s so mouthy.
Focused on the food instead, I stuff my face while the mess hall’s noise fades in and out around us.
Someone waves at him from across the room. He waves back, calling them by name. “Hey, Fonz!”
“Told you the name’s Alphonso,” the guy says, walking over. “I’d rather you call me Al.”
“Fonz is a way cooler nickname,” Stan says with a smug smirk.
When Al turns to me, probably looking for my opinion, I only meet his eyes. “Hey, Nil,” he says.
“Hey,” I return, focusing on my plate to let these two talk.
Al moves to the window. “No way,” he says, sounding shocked. “Red Sea swallows. Are you two seeing those birds out there?”
Stan twists in his seat as I glance at the window again.
“Those birds over there.” Al points at the small flock flying through the open sky. “You see ‘em? It’s been, like, two damn decades since anyone’s seen ‘em.”
Stan gasps, gray eyes wide. “Wait, those adorable birds are really calledswallows?”
I chuckle quietly behind my coffee cup, while Al scowls at Stan and says, “Yeah, dumbass, grow up.” Al aims his scowl at the window. “Too bad we weren’t allowed to bring in phones. I’d kill for a picture.”
“Too bad,” Stan echoes in a mocking voice. He’s been pouting the second Al threw his insult at him. “And we won’t testify as witnesses. We’ll tell people you hallucinated!”
“Asshat,” Al says, smirking as he steps away. “You two lovebirds enjoy each other.”
“At least I have a date.” Stan sticks his tongue out, while Al walks to the coffee station, cackling to himself. “You’re right! You don’t deserve to be called Fonz!”
Stan’s muttering something under his breath, while I’m still staring at the swallows outside. They’re a little cluster of wings against all that empty space, flying in a loose open triangle.
“Could’ve taken a picture for him,” Stan mutters.
“With what?” I frown. “We weren’t allowed to have phones—”
He grins and pulls a flip phone out of nowhere. “Surprise,” Stan practically sings the word.
My brows draw together. “Why’d you bring one when we weren’t supposed to?”
“What even arerulesduring an illegal experiment in international waters?” He shrugs, flipping it open. “Besides, I didn’t read the rules, and nobody took this from me. I forgot it was even in there.”
“Inwhere?” I regret the question the second it comes out.
