Worlds Apart

Before long, they came upon a patch of greenery nestled between the skyscrapers, footpaths leading deeper into the trees. It was autumn, and their leaves were a hundred shades of red, yellow, brown, and orange. As they made their way deeper, the thoughtful landscaping almost let them forget that they were in the center of the city, only the towering spires of glass that rose above the treetops dispelling the illusion.

They found a grassy embankment beside an artificial lake, starting to eat their picnic as they watched waterbirds skim along its calm surface. Liz had been right, the gyros were great. The chicken was tender, the pita bread was thick and doughy, and the Tzatziki sauce had the texture of yogurt with a lemon aftertaste.

"The Earth is so green," Liz muttered, taking a large bite of her gyro as she watched a duck land on the water. It waggled its tail, flapping its wings for a moment before floating off like a paper boat. "I never thought I'd miss something as simple as the colors of autumn, it seems so trivial."

"Don't they have seasons on Borealis?" Jamie asked as he dipped a fry in his sauce.

"They do, but it's pretty different. The only seasons are summer and winter, and winter comes twice a month, when the secondary of the two binary stars eclipses the primary. The whole world seems to freeze over for a few days, the temperatures plummet, the lakes ice over. All of the life there has adapted to the cycle, there are even evergreen jungles."

"The secondary star is cooler, then, and blocks the light from the primary?"

"That's right," she replied. "I can't even begin to explain how weird it is to look up at the sky and see two suns. I miss the Moon, too. Borealis doesn't have one."

"Is there anything you liked about living there?" Jamie asked, pulling off a chunk of pita bread and tossing it to a duck. The animal came waddling up onto the grassy embankment, wolfing the morsel down without chewing.

"Living next to the lake is nice," she replied, consuming most of a gyro in one large bite. "Most of the planet is a desert, but there are giant lakes all over its surface, spread hundreds of miles apart. Each one has a jungle band, a ring of greenery that grows around the shore, and it creates a kind of pocket climate. The towns and cities are usually built right on the shore of the lake, and considering how unrelentingly hot it is all of the goddamned time, it's nice to be able to take a dip in the water."

"You always used to like swimming when we were younger," Jamie said, tossing another piece of bread to the growing crowd of hungry ducks. "You stopped sometime in high school."

"Yeah, I was pretty self-conscious about my body back then," she admitted. "Wearing a swimsuit made me feel really exposed. Turns out my people are big swimmers, that's probably where I got it from. Barehanded fishing is a competitive sport over there."

"How about now?" he asked, Liz giving him a sideways glance.

"Are you so eager to see me in a bikini, Jamie?"

He wasn't sure how to respond, Liz laughing as he took a defiant bite of his wrap.

"Of all the things that the Earth has to offer, this is what I missed the most," she chuckled.

"What's that?" Jamie asked.

"You," she explained. "The way that humans interact, your flavor of romance." She sighed contentedly, looking out over the lake as Jamie listened curiously. "There's this...back and forth with you that just doesn't exist on the homeworld. The teasing, the uncertainty, the jokes and games. It's like a game of chess where the prize is your lover's affection. On Borealis, romance is fast, decisive. If you want somebody, you 'take' them," she added with a growl. "Courtship is little more than another fight for dominance. It's rough, exhilarating, it makes your blood boil."

Jamie had only ever seen this side of her once before, when they had made love, and her Borealan instincts had been awakened. It made his heart skip a beat, Liz looking down at him, seeming to sense the change in his mood.

"It never really felt right to me," she added hurriedly. "It was a little like your encounter with Rachel, I suppose. I had felt something more than just rushing hormones before, and I knew that there was something better out there, more meaningful."

"No, no," Jamie replied. "I can see the appeal, it's just...I don't mind this more aggressive side of you. I found it a little jarring at first, but you seem so much more balanced than you used to be. You know who you are, and what you want, and I...I like that."

She smiled at him, fishing in her paper bag for another gyro.

"I might be a Borealan," she continued, taking a bite. "But don't feel like you have to act any differently around me. Be as human as you can be, talk back, play hard to get. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"So...how would you court me if I were a Borealan?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I wouldn't, for a start," she replied. "Like I said, the Borealan way of doing things doesn't really appeal to me. But...hypothetically speaking, I'd induct you into my pack, which might involve a fight if you're not willing to come quietly."

"That's probably for the best," he replied, turning his attention back to his fries.

"Why's that?" Liz asked, cocking her head.

"I don't think your Borealan wiles would work on me."

"You think you could take me?" Liz chuckled, her expression turning sly. "I'm in the same weight class as a Siberian tiger, and I know Aikido. You wouldn't stand a chance."

"I've always been faster than you," he replied confidently. "I'd run away."

"You'd run away?" she giggled, shaking her head at him. "I have to admit, no Borealan would see that coming. It would just encourage me to chase you, though, like dangling a piece of string in front of a cat."

She reached over to mess up his hair, Jamie batting at her hand playfully.

"What do you want to do when we're done eating?" he asked.

"Let's hang out here for a while, chat for a bit," she replied. "You don't have to keep me constantly entertained, you know. I came here to see you."

"Alright," he replied, lying back on the grass.

***

"Try this one," Jamie said, passing her one of his wireless earbuds. She held it up to her furry ear, using her sharp claws like tweezers, listening as he began to play a track on his phone. "Are you holding it close enough?" he asked, shifting his weight as he lay on the grass.

"My hearing is more sensitive than yours, so yeah. Also, I'm scared I'm gonna drop it in there and lose it," she added with a chuckle.

They had been lying on the embankment in the park for a few hours, long enough that the sun was getting low in the sky, just chatting and watching content on Jamie's phone. It reminded him of how they had spent many of their afternoons together when they were younger, doing little more than lounging around in one residence or the other after school, sharing videos and listening to music.

"Man, it's been ages since I listened to any good music," Liz sighed. "It gives me chills, no joke."

"What kind of music do they have on Borealis?" Jamie asked.

"The kind where you have to go out and find a guy with a drum," she replied. She sat up, stretching her arms high above her head. "What time is it? You hungry yet?"

"Going on eight," he said, checking his phone. "Yeah, I could eat. You have something in mind?"

"I don't suppose there are any Borealan banquet halls around here," she said, scratching her chin as she considered. "I could really go for a buffet, somewhere I can eat my fill."

"Coming right up," Jamie said, turning to his phone again. "Do you have a preference? Chinese, Indian, American?"

"Oh, Chinese!" she replied. "Sticky honey pork, deep-fried prawns, spring rolls. Sign me up."

"I don't know how happy they're going to be to serve someone of your, uh...culinary capacity," he said as she gave him a wide grin.

"What are they gonna do, throw me out?"

"I'm imagining the entire staff trying to push you out onto the street like they're trying to move a fridge," he chuckled.

"I'm only joking," she added with a wink. "I'll be a good girl while I'm on Earth."

***

It was a short mag-lev ride to the buffet, which was once again located on one of the upper floors of a residential building on a commercial plaza. It gave them a great view of the city lights as the sun dipped ever lower, the roads far below taking on the appearance of glowing rivers as they snaked between the skyscrapers.

The establishment was a little more upscale than Jamie had assumed. The words 'all-you-can-eat buffet' and 'upscale restaurant' were rarely said in the same sentence, but it was a pleasant surprise. The décor was all traditional Chinese styles, lots of red and gold, with plenty of statues of cats and dragons strewn around for good measure. It was appropriate, if a little cliché. There was a beautiful mural of a mountain shrine surrounded by mists occupying one wall, painted in the classical Chinese style, Jamie and Liz pausing to admire it as a waiter led them over to a free table.

The waiter fretted for a moment, realizing that there were no chairs suitable for the Borealan, but he seemed relieved when she explained that she was content to sit on the floor. The smells that were wafting over from the steam tables were enticing, spoons and tongs protruding from veritable mountains of food. Jamie could see fried shrimp, pork, rice, chicken, spring rolls, even a spread of sushi. There was a man operating a wok behind a counter at the far end of the room, frying up some of the food items on demand, and there was even a spread of desserts. Cake and donuts weren't exactly Chinese-themed, but he doubted that anyone would complain.

The restaurant was fairly busy, there were a lot of people crowding the tables, waiting for their turn to pile up their plate with a generous helping of food. Some of them had turned to stare at Liz, but she no longer seemed bothered by the curiosity of strangers. The low hum of half-heard conversations and the clattering of cutlery made for pleasant background noise. Jamie lifting a laminated menu, checking out the drinks.

"Maybe I'll have something with a bit more of a kick than a coffee," he said as he scanned the page.

"Do you drink much these days?" Liz asked.

"Nah, not really," he replied. "Can't remember the last time I actually got drunk, I mostly just drink on special occasions. My social circle isn't exactly into wining and dining, more like beer-ing and takeout-ing."

"Sounds like a good time to me," Liz added. "Borealans can't really drink, we don't process alcohol the same way humans do. A strong beer is enough to put us on our ass, and a shot of vodka will probably send us to the emergency room."

"What do they drink on the homeworld, then?" Jamie wondered. "Surely not just water? If you don't like sweet flavors, I imagine they don't drink much fruit juice either."

"They do ferment fruits into a kind of really weak wine," she explained. "It's basically like fruit punch. It's honestly not bad, I'd probably drink it more often if they had it here."

"Oh, I think your dad gave me that one time," he replied with a nod. "You could try a low-alcohol beer, maybe. Drink it like you're taking shots."

"I might just do that," she replied with a grin.

The waiter returned to take their orders, and once they had their drinks, they made their way over to the buffet tables. Jamie selected a few pieces of pork, some rice, and a few spring rolls. Liz, on the other hand, was going off the rails. She had piled her plate precariously high with every kind of dish on offer, the waiters craning their next as they glanced over at her with concerned expressions on their faces. Jamie had a feeling that this was going to be the first of many visits. He had to keep reminding himself that she wasn't being greedy, that her massive, five-hundred-pound frame required about five times as much food as an adult human.

When they returned to their table with their haul, Liz eyed her mound of food with an enthusiasm that bordered on the inappropriate. She plucked a fried prawn from the pile, eating it whole, tail and all. She chewed contentedly, a smile spreading across her face.

"Good?" Jamie asked, Liz nodding her head as she took a bite out of a spring roll.

"Man, I can't remember the last time I was able to eat until I was full. I brought some surplus MREs with me on the ride from Borealis, and they weren't bad, but it wasn't exactly gourmet food."
"Hey, the sign says all-you-can-eat," Jamie replied with a shrug.

"I think they're gonna add a disclaimer to that sign when I'm done with them," she chuckled.

***

They dined for maybe two hours, Jamie pacing himself so as not to get too full before Liz had eaten her fill. With every trip to the buffet table, their hosts seemed to grow more nervous, not knowing when the alien would reach her limit. So far, they had not asked her to leave, perhaps thinking it might offend her. By the end of it, she had sampled seemingly every dish available, both hot and cold. She had also made a serious dent in the dessert spread, consuming most of a red velvet cake, and proclaiming her love for the texture of lychee fruits.

"I wonder if a Borealan-style banquet hall would do well on Earth?" she wondered. "It's basically like a buffet, mixed with a little Korean barbecue."

"Would they have to eat with their fingers?" Jamie asked, popping a piece of sweet pork into his mouth. It was tender, sticky, the sweet flavor of honey complementing the meat.

"It would be mandated," she chuckled. "If there's one thing I miss, it's eating fresh-cooked meat right off the bone."

"I guess you guys need a lot of protein," Jamie added, looking her up and down.

Liz smirked at him, lifting an arm as she flexed her bicep jokingly.

"You been checking out my guns, Jamie? I didn't know you liked big girls."

Jamie's face flushed red, and she laughed at his reaction, sliding a piece of pork into her mouth.

"You look good," he replied, not knowing how else to put it. "It's quite a transformation. Back in the day, I was the one who was in shape, and you were the one who had to look up at me."

"It's not like I've been hitting the gym," she replied, pausing to take another conservative sip of her beer. "This is just what the high gravity does to you, it's unavoidable. I like it, though. It feels...like this is what I'm supposed to be. I'm kind of relieved you're okay with it," she added, averting her eyes as she always did when she was nervous. "I thought maybe I'd be too different, too alien for you. Most guys don't like girls who are taller than them, never mind ones that could toss them like a football."

"It does suit you," he replied, Liz smiling as she prodded at her mountain of rice with her fork.

"You've been keeping up with your running," she added, gesturing at him across the table. "You're probably in better shape now than you were back then."

"Not if I keep eating like this," he shot back, Liz snorting into her drink.

They were getting off-topic, but Jamie couldn't deny that he was curious about Liz's physiology. He had known her intimately, but as a young woman of average height and build by human standards. She was completely different now, it was like starting from scratch, and he had no idea what to expect. Liz was so...large now. Could they even...

"Hey, Earth to Jamie," Liz said as she snapped her fingers. He shook his head, dispelling his lurid daydream.

"Sorry, I was miles away."

She took another draw from her beer, the Chinese characters on the can illegible to Jamie, the alcohol already warming her cheeks. She hadn't been joking, her people really couldn't handle their drink.

"So," she began, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "What are we doing tonight? I've had fun today, I'd like to keep it going."

"What do you mean?" Jamie asked. He was under the impression that their date had almost concluded.

"Well, you can go back to your apartment when the sun goes down," she continued. "Or...you can come back to my hotel room at the spaceport." The table creaked as she leaned closer to him, letting the considerable weight of her bust rest on its polished surface, the meat of her breasts spreading within the confines of her bomber jacket. "It's been a long time, Jamie. Aren't you curious? Don't you want to see how much I've...changed?"

Jamie swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, feeling his heart pound in his chest as he considered the possibility. Damn it, he couldn't think straight with those emerald eyes scrutinizing him, it was like she had him under a spell.

"You've only been back for a couple of days, Liz," he protested, wondering why he was even arguing with her.

"The second date is the rule, right?" she chuckled.

"I mean, are you sure that you-"

"Jamie," she cooed, her husky voice making his heart leap. "I came back because I haven't stopped thinking about you, I couldn't get you out of my head. I wanted to find out if you were the way I remembered you, if there was still room in your life for me, or if I had this idealized picture of you that was more a product of teenage hormones than reality."

"And...what did you find?" he asked.

"You're not as I remember," she replied, her words tying a knot in Jamie's guts. "You're better," she added with a flash of sharp teeth, relief washing over him. "You've grown, you're more mature, you're more pragmatic than you used to be. After three years on the homeworld, the idea that a guy could make me laugh was a fucking revelation. Hanging out with you has been like...slipping on an old shirt that fits me perfectly, it just feels right. Is there some reason we can't take this further?"

"No, I...this is just sudden," he stammered. "I can't tell you how many times I came up with scenarios in my head where you'd come back, all the things I'd say, all the things I'd do. The thing is, it's nothing like I imagined. You're not the Liz I remember, you're a different person, you've lived your own life totally separate from mine." She cocked her head at him, watching him with those green eyes as he stumbled over his words. "But, I like that person, I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again. It's like...like a coma patient who wakes up and immediately starts hitting on his wife."
"Really?" Liz cooed, batting her lashes at him from across the table.

"I'm just not used to you talking this way," he added. "You used to be so meek, it took you years to drum up the courage to tell me how you really felt about us."

"Yeah, and where did that get me?" she grumbled. "If Borealis has taught me one thing, it's to be direct. State what you want plainly, and if they won't give it to you, then you take it." She let her fist fall on the table to punctuate her point, making Jamie's plate clatter. "I'm not gonna waste one more day, not one more hour."

He felt her tail brush his leg beneath the table, making him jump, the hunger in those green eyes reminiscent of their last night together.

"Don't hold out on me, Jamie," she added with a sly smile. "I've been waiting three years for another go at you."

"Damn, Liz," he said as he spun his head around to make sure that nobody was in earshot. "Keep your voice down. I don't know how they do things on Borealis, but you can't go around saying things like that in a restaurant."

She seemed to revel in the way that he squirmed, watching his cheeks warm with a smug expression on her face.

"Let's go," she insisted, "right now."

Jamie felt a fresh surge of excitement well up inside him, a kind of anticipation that he had not experienced since that night all those years ago, when they had unleashed their desires on the couch in front of the fireplace. He hadn't expected to arrive at this point again so soon, if it all. He had been prepared for things to cool off between them, to find that he and Liz no longer shared the connection that they once had, but she was already making her intentions clear. Maybe she hadn't changed all that much...