the burgers smell, how they taste, and what they look like on the plates under the heat lamps between the kitchen and the waiting servers. I hold out my hands again. Smooth and hot, a plate appears in my hand, two steaming burgers on top of it.
"Hot damn! It worked." I laugh and hold the plate out for Lincoln to see. He leans away. "Oh, my god. I can't believe it actually worked." Pulling the plate up to my nose, I inhale deeply and my mouth fills with saliva.
"What. Is. That?" Lincoln bites out.
"A burger." I offer the plate again and point to the second burger specifically for him.
"It looks greasy and it smells... weird."
"But it tastes so good!" I push the plate closer to him. "I know you're hungry. Just try it."
Like a good sport, Lincoln doesn't say another word as he gingerly picks the sandwich up. He rotates it in front of his face examining it from all angles. Cheese drips down the patty and onto the bun and the grimace on his face flattens. He is right about them being greasy though. The bun shines underneath the moon, the meat glistening.
Setting the plate down, I take my burger in my hand and bring it to my lips. "Now take a bite."
He bares his teeth, not excited, but reluctantly sinks his teeth in. He chews, keeping his expression blank. Unwilling to wait, I shove the burger into my mouth and bite off as much as I can take.
"Do you like it?" I say through the food in my mouth. I hover a hand over my mouth to avoid flashing him what I've chewed up.
"It's almost... slimy." He swallows and takes another bite. “This might not be good for our digestion.”
"That's the grease. I’ve never had any issues before." I wave his comment off. "Do Fae not eat hamburgers?"
"Maybe not in this exact fashion...Because as we may find later, this grease doesn’t sit well with us."
"Doesn’t sit well for humans either, but they adapt! Mmm, if humans have done one thing right it's perfecting the art of junk food. Not so good for you, but oh so tasty." I think back to all the suppers I've had with the Fae. "You lot seem to stick to the basics of meat and vegetables. Good for your body, but lacking in foodgasms."
"Food--Foodgasms?" Lincoln coughs on the burger.
"It's like an orgasm in your mouth."
"I want that," he says all too quickly before he gets kind of quiet. "Someday."
"I can't wait to show you all the new cool human things you have yet to explore. I can't believe you never ate a burger before."
Once we get out of this place...
We both look at each other, chewing in silence. The conversation coming to a close as we finish eating. The fear of never leaving grows in the back of our minds, always there.
Only when Johanna strolls from the captain’s quarters and stands in front of us, with her hands planted on two swords that hang from her waist does the feeling quell.
"It's getting late. If you two would like to sleep somewhere that isn't so uncomfortable you better mosey on down those stairs." She points to our right. "And find yourself a couple bunks. Captain has ordered the crew not to touch or bother you unless you make the first move. So if I were you, I'd be on my best behavior. Some of these women are just looking for a reason to stab a Fae."
"What a good way to say thank you." I give her a fake grin and blink up at her.
Johanna moves on with a shrug, leaving me and Lincoln alone again. We stand up in silence and head for the stairs. Both of us give the sky one last look as we descend into the hull, trying to capture its beauty and serenity in our minds forever. I doubt anything in the human realm could ever be as beautiful as this.
Six
Sweet Nothings
Under the top deck there are only three rooms. The stairs descend into the largest of the three, putting us in the sleeping quarters. Bunk beds are screwed into the walls, and hammocks hang from the ceiling. There is a small hallway that extends to two smaller rooms, both closed off with their own doors.
Lincoln and I don't bother to venture and explore. These pirates already hardly trust the Fae, and we aren't looking for any reason for them to choose not to take us to the queen. So