“Oh, God, I hate flying…” Ryo thought, clenching his teeth against the rising anxiety in the pit of his stomach. He counted the seconds quickly as the plane rose and his gut sank. ‘I gotta find Sage, gotta find Sage, gotta find Sage…’ He repeated over and over in his head, trying to ease a little of the panic out of his system.He thought back to a few days ago. His friends had tried to throw him a birthday party, kindly funded by Kento and his amazing luck. Rather surprising, Sage had not been present. Ryo remembered thinking at the time that Sage must have been delayed somehow. He had been scheduled to return from New York only a day or so prior, so Ryo didn’t feel the need to worry. However, the night of the party, a news report stated that Sage, or more specifically the armor of Halo, was terrorizing the American city. Ryo had decided then and there that he should travel straight away to the U.S. and find out for himself what had happened to Sage. Of course, all that had been planned before Ryo had even set foot in the airport. Now he was on the slowly rising plane, just this side of freaking out.
“Thank you for choosing us for your international travel needs. This flight from Tokyo, Japan to New York City, New York, will be an overnight trip. Please don’t hesitate if you have any questions or requests. Enjoy your flight…” The PA clicked. Ryo only paid half attention as he heard the overly perky flight attendant explain how to survive a crash by using the seat cushions as life preservers. Not incredibly reassuring. He sank another inch into his chair.
A few aisles back secretly sat a familiar pair, watching Ryo with sympathy in their eyes and hushed voices. Cye twitched nervously in his seat, about ready to pounce to his feet it looked like. Kento kept one arm close to Cye’s just in case he might have to keep him sitting. Cye sighed and bit his lip.
“Dude, you have got to chill. Ryo looks ready about to faint and you are just itchin’ to rush up to him and calm him down or something.” Cye rolled his eyes. Kento smirked. “You’d more than likely give the poor guy a heart attack, if you think about it, y’know. He doesn’t know we’re tagging along, remember?” Kento whispered, his eyes steady on the raven-head of their commander and friend. Cye frowned.
“True, but he’s gonna find out sooner or later, right?” It was Kento’s turn to roll his eyes. “Plus, he looks like he’s going to have a heart attack here and now anyway.” He said, ending in a whine. His pathetic attempt at convincing Kento to let him up to see Ryo was only successful due to his equally pathetic puppy-eyed look on his face. Clicking his tongue and shaking his head, Kento smiled and stood letting Cye pass into the aisle. The silly redhead practically skipped to stand behind Ryo, sneakily snaking an arm around his shaking shoulders. Ryo visibly jumped but a relieved smile quickly spread across his countenance.
“My god, Cye, what are you doing here?” Ryo breathed. Kento quickly jumped from his seat and tapped Ryo on the shoulder in a friendly, light-hearted way. Regardless, Ryo got another small scare.
“You honestly thought we’d let you go to a strange country all by your lonesome self?” Kento winked. Ryo chuckled nervously, his eyes darting to the front of the long carpeted aisle and out the neighboring windows. He winced when one of the wings wobbled a little. Cye raised an eyebrow.
“Something wrong, Ry?” He asked. Ryo shrugged sheepishly, quickly averting his eyes back to his friends, then downward.
“I don’t like flying much…” Kento looked up a moment, his eyes meeting Cye’s. He smiled and patted Ryo’s shoulder.
“Well, you know what? I think you could use some company on this trip. I mean, honestly, we’re gonna be on this plane for, like, ten hours and that’s a long time to sit uncomfortably quiet.” Ryo raised an eyebrow.
“You wanna sit with me?” Kento bit his lip and glanced back at the pair of empty seats a couple rows back, his idea forming more solidly in his mind.
“Actually, I think the two people who are sitting up here might not appreciate us forcing them to move,” Cye scowled, catching onto a hint of something in Kento’s voice. “But, here, you and I can trade tickets. I don’t mind sitting by myself.” Ryo glanced up at Cye, then over to Kento, his mouth hanging open.
“Um…” He began. Kento crossed his arms over his chest. “I dunno, I mean, that’s awfully nice of you, but,” Kento held up his hand.
“But nothing. I’ll probably be sleeping the whole trip anyway. You and Cye have fun.” Kento reached for Ryo’s hand, pulling him up. A steward was coming with a cart offering beverages and headphones. Kento took this opportunity, pushed Ryo into Cye’s arms and sat down smiling, just as the steward came by to block the aisle. Ryo was trying to stand as Cye was blushing furiously, holding onto Ryo as he was. Kento winked at his friends and waved. “Don’t worry so much! I’ll make sure to grab your bag on the way out, Ry!” Cye and Ryo watched disbelieving as Kento plugged a pair of headphones into the armrest radio and tilted his head back.
“Uh, well,” Cye began, drumming his fingers on Ryo’s shoulder blade. Ryo blushed and jumped back, trying his best to regain his composure.
“I am really sorry about this, buddy,” Ryo started. Cye grinned and shook his head.
“No, it’s okay. I mean, heck, Kento will be Kento, right? Nothing can stop him from doing what he thinks is best.” Cye motioned behind him. “C’mon, we’d better get seated and buckled.” Ryo nodded in agreement. He looked apprehensively at the window seat being offered to him. He paused a moment, his eyes pleading with Cye.
“Ugh, you can take the window seat, if you want…I think I’d be better in the middle, anyway.” He muttered. Cye shrugged and scootched over to the window, settling comfortably. The light ping of the fasten seatbelt sign flashed, warning the passengers that they were rising in altitude and it was not yet safe to move freely. Ryo slunk into his seat next to Cye, his hand slipping, trying to get himself buckled. Cye looked on in amusement.
“Need any help with that?” Cye asked, chuckling. Ryo stopped what he was doing, glaring levelly at him. Cye was actually considering gently grasping Ryo’s hands, helping him slip the cold metal tip into the buckle, maybe smiling shyly at him as a bonus…
“Oh man…” Ryo moaned through his teeth. Cye snapped back to reality, shaking his head. He only wondered for a second as to what was distressing Ryo before he realized they were moving. Ryo was still not buckled.
Without thinking, Cye reached downwards, grabbed the two parts and secured them. Ryo watched Cye’s hands unblinking, beet red all the while. Cye pulled his hands away just as the stewardess came by to make sure everyone was still buckled and whether or not they may want a blanket or pillow. Ryo shook his head vehemently and the lady left to attend the other passengers.
“Once again, we would like to thank all our passengers for choosing us for their international and intercontinental needs. The weather in New York City is a little overcast, but please don’t worry about delays…” A cheery female voice clicked. Ryo gripped the armrests of his chair, biting his lips closed. Cye laid a hand gently on Ryo’s shoulder and squeezed lightly.
“Calm down, mate. It’s not that bad now, is it?” Ryo turned his head, his gaze sinking into Cye’s.
“Ugh, maybe not, but I’m not thrilled with the prospect of picking up my stomach at baggage claim.” Cye smiled and shook his head, sliding his hand down Ryo’s arm to rest on his wrist. Ryo watched wide-eyed as Cye lightly drummed his fingers, skimming the skin with his fingernails, too softly to leave marks but hard enough to tickle.
“Y’know, I think Kento had the right idea. Maybe we should get some sleep.” Cye breathed. Ryo blinked, having obviously been taken off guard.
“Wait, wh-what?” He spluttered. Cye chuckled.
“It’s a long trip to America. I think it’d be a good idea for us to rest up a little.” Cye laid his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes. Ryo swallowed.
“Uh, sure, you go right ahead. I’m not all that tired.” He said. Cye shrugged and turned his head to face the window, tilting his chin downwards. Ryo sighed and tilted his head back. “So, um, where’s Rowen?”
“Caught an earlier flight. Mia, Yuli and he should already be in New York by now. He told me not to worry and that they’d get a pair of hotel rooms for everybody…” Ryo blinked.
“A pair?” Cye yawned and nodded.
“Mmm. One apparently can hold three or four people.” Ryo coughed, jarring Cye out of his semi-snooze. He turned over and faced Ryo again, hiding a yawn behind his hand. “Something wrong?” Ryo bit his lip.
“Well…y’know, there are seven of us, at least there will be when we find Sage…” Cye raised an eyebrow.
“What? Don’t think two rooms will be enough?” Ryo slightly shook his head.
“There’d be four people in one room, three in the other. That’d be three cots, plus one bed for one room and two cots and the bed for the other.” Cye rolled his eyes and shifted so he was now sitting up straight. He looked at Ryo, his eyes shining with humor and sleep.
“Doll, you do know Rowen plans things out pretty well, don’t you? He’d probably get two suites, or at least one suite and one regular. That’s a double bed in a regular, plus a couch bed. A suite holds two double beds. You have nothing to worry about.” Ryo grimaced. Cye scowled. “Okay, now what?”
“Well, a double bed holds two people…” Ryo mumbled. Cye laughed.
“Good, you get that.” Ryo blushed, furrowing his brows. Cye shook his head. “Are you worried about sharing a bed with someone?” Ryo blushed a deeper red. “Ry, no one’s forcing you to sleep with them. If you want to, you can take the single couch bed in the regular. But, then again, I’m assuming that’s what Rowen got. I’m sure there are couch beds in suites, too. Or, we can get you a cot, or,” Ryo shook his head.
“No, I don’t mind sharing or anything…I guess it would just depend with whom I share…” Cye bit his lip.
“Oh?” He tried to appear nonchalant. This was definitely a surprising opportunity, one he did not want to pass up. This could be advantageous. “Like, who could you just not stand sleeping with?” Oops, possible trip up on wording there…Ryo pulled his earlobe, thinking.
“I guess maybe Kento, for one. He snores pretty bad when on his back.” Cye grinned. Yeah, that was true. He would know since he shared a room with the big guy before. “Hmm, I guess not Mia, either. That would just be awkward. I think Rowen might kill me if I said it would be okay to sleep with Sage, and Sage likewise would mutilate me if I even tried Rowen…” Cye feigned deep thought.
“That doesn’t leave a wide selection now, does it?” Ryo shook his head lightly. Cye’s lips twitched into a smile. “I don’t snore, y’know.” Ryo blushed again. Cye really did like how Ryo’s ears could just go pink like that so easily. It was very distracting…
“I guess if you could put up with me as a bedmate…” Ryo practically whispered under his breath. Cye’s heartbeat quickened.
“I think I can survive.” Ryo genuinely smiled and tilted his chin downward, just whisper touch from skimming Cye’s shoulder. Cye shifted just close enough to Ryo so he could be his pillow.
“Mmm, good. Glad that’s settled,” Ryo snuggled closer to Cye, shifting to sit/lay on his side, snaking one arm over his ‘bedmate’. He tried to hold back a yawn, but was unsuccessful. Cye smiled at him and softly raked his fingers through black hair. Ryo closed his eyes and breathed easily. “D’you think Sage’s all right?” Cye frowned a second, but shook it off. Thousands of worries were floating through his mind, but he didn’t want to alarm Ryo.
“He’s strong. I don’t know what’s going on with him using Halo like he has been recently. If there’s one thing I do know, it’s that Sage would never ever use his armor for evil purposes. I think it may not be him controlling Halo. Either someone else is using the armor, or someone is forcing Sage to use it. He would never turn like that.” Ryo nodded sleepily.
“I think so, too. Hope it’s not Talpa or anything…” He yawned. Cye’s eyes widened for a moment at the mention of the evil Lord’s name. He quickly licked his lips and exhaled deeply.
“No, I don’t think it’s anything like that.” Ryo yawned again. Cye took this moment and laid his lips on the top of Ryo’s head. Not really kissing him, but probably as close to it as he felt he would get. Ryo squeezed Cye gently, probably because of the slight turbulence more than anything. That didn’t stop his heart from racing, though. “You tired, mate?” Cye asked, reaching to close the shade on their window. Ryo nodded slightly. Cye smiled, reached up and shut off their reading lights. Moments later, the pilot shut off the cabin lights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Both of you! Get your asses up, right NOW!” Kento shouted, jarring both Cye and Ryo out of sleep. The first thing both noticed was it was daytime, and that the plane seemed to be moving funny. Ryo rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.“Kento? What’s wrong?” He asked sleepily. Kento scowled.
“We’re crashing, that’s what! No one’s sure what the hell is going on, but we’re going down right next to the Statue of Liberty.” That woke both young men up post haste, Ryo more so. Poor boy appeared to have swallowed his tongue, his eyes were bulging.
“We-we-we’re WHAT?!?” He shouted.
Cye was worried Ryo was gonna have a panic attack right there on the plane as they were going down. He immediately turned and opened the shade to the window, trying to determine whether or not there was any smoke coming from any of the engines or wings. He couldn’t see anything, but as he turned to face Ryo and Kento, he thought he saw something like an old man on the wing, brandishing a cane from the corner of his eye.
‘Okay, Cye, this is no time to go all Twilight Zone!’ He scolded himself mentally. He did the first thing that came to mind and grabbed Ryo around his middle and held him to himself. He hoped, as an afterthought, that it looked like he was just trying to keep him sitting. Neither Ryo nor Kento said anything about it, in fact, Ryo grabbed onto Cye’s arms.
“Oh, God, I hate flying!” Ryo shouted, turning sharply and burying his face in Cye’s neck. Kento braced himself, clutching the aisle seats to the left and right of him. Cye just held tighter onto Ryo and shut his eyes tightly, hoping for the best.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Epilogue“Thank you for choosing us for your international travel needs…” Cye wasn’t paying attention to the flight attendant. He didn’t need to, he knew the drill. Welcome, fasten seatbelts by sticking two pieces of metal together, if we crash use your seat to save your life, yadda yadda yadda. It was late and he was tired.
“This flight from New York City, New York to Tokyo, Japan will be an overnight trip…” No duh. It was last time, too. Cye scowled and placed his heated forehead against the cool, double-plated glass of his window. He could feel a headache coming on. No, a migraine. Tears were already welling up behind his eyelids.
New York wasn’t as bad as people made it out to be. Of course, they almost lost Sage to some insane guy, bent on using Halo for his twisted schemes to do whatever. Rule the world, or maybe just America. Plus, he’d taken Mia and Yuli captive, was probably gonna kill them. They’d saved everyone, of course, thanks muchly to Ryo and his armor of Inferno.
Cye rubbed his temple, shutting his eyes tightly. There would be plenty of time to think about all this craziness when back in Japan. Right now he just wanted to forget everything that had happened in the past couple of days. His eyes fluttered open a moment, his gaze settling on Ryo. He regretted it the moment he saw his face.
Ryo was curled up in his chair, alone. Everyone knew he didn’t want any company. He was being a lot braver now, at least he was trying. Going to New York wasn’t such a good trip for him, that was obvious. There he met that pretty lass Luna…
Cye’s scowl darkened and he turned his eyes away. He didn’t mean to seem insensitive. He should be trying to cheer Ryo up. It’s just so hard to do something like that when all you can think about is missed chances. Selfish? Yes.
“Cye?” Kento asked quietly. Cye’s eyes snapped open and he glared at his best friend coldly. Kento stood in the aisle, his eyes sad and sympathetic. Cye’s heart melted quickly and he shifted, inviting Kento to sit with him.
“Yeah, Kento?” Cye had to dig his thumbnail into his forefinger to keep him from choking on his words. He didn’t have to explain why he was so depressed to Kento, and he was thankful for that. Hopefully the others will just think he was tired. Kento sat on the edge of his seat, slumped forward a little.
“I’m sorry…” Cye inhaled sharply. What could he say to that? Thanks? He knew Kento had already spent a good deal of time trying to make Ryo feel just a little bit better and now he was trying to do the same with Cye. He was apprehensive, but he didn’t feel like feeling better right now.
“Kento.” Cye stated, soft but flat. Kento turned his eyes away and nodded. Again, unspoken understanding. The hint of a smile played at Cye’s lips and he placed a hand on Kento’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, too. Thanks mate.”
