bsumone | ❝ I’m leavin’ on a jetplane ❞

There was a mix up with the troupe's flight from New York back to LA that resulted in three of them on a different plane. Flying out a day later than planned, the three remaining dancers were separated even more: two of them in coach and one in first class. Those were the only seats available. Since his cohorts were closer, they opted to sit together in economy while Simon took the first class seat.

He wasn't dressed as nice as some of the businesspeople, just jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and a hoodie. It made him feel a little self-conscious, but if the airline didn't have a dress code for first class, he was fine, right? It's Simon's first time flying first class and it shows in the way his eyes widen every time he's brought a bowl of warm nuts, asked for a drink, or addressed as 'Mr. Lee.'

It was lovely, actually. Right up to the moment the flight attendant inadvertently gave him his neighbor's drink instead of the water he'd requested. Glancing at the person beside him, Simon offered an apologetic smile and pointed to the water. "I think that's for me."

Change out the hoodie for a cardigan, and Simon's neighbour isn't dressed much differently. Jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. All high-end name brands though. All unnecessarily expensive. He's a lot less self-conscious about his clothing though. And beyond even that, he just seems far more comfortable in first class. He seems perfectly at ease when they offer a bowl of warm nuts (no thank you) and when they come by often to ask if he'd like a drink (far more often than in economy). He doesn't even bat an eyelash any time he's address as 'Mr. Yeo' (even when it's mispronounced...).

Jun is sitting slumped down in his seat a little with his eyes closed and a pair of headphones on. It's clear that he isn't sleeping, though, and that whatever he's listening to is probably rather quiet as he opens at least one eye almost every time a flight attendant walks by. So he doesn't necessarily notice when he's given the wrong drink, but he does notice when his neighbour speaks to him.

He sits up and pulls the headphones down, turning toward his neighbour then looking between their drinks. "Oh. Oh! Oh, sorry." He picks up the water and offers it to his neighbour with an apologetic smile of his own. "Sorry, I didn't even notice. Here you go."

"Oh, that's okay. I can see you were, um, busy." Well, distracted perhaps. Lost in his own little world with his headphones on to tune out all the ambient noise. Even in first class there's plenty, what with the weird hum of the air against the plane's fuselage.

"I didn't mean to bother you," he added quickly as he takes his drink and does his best to retreat to his seat. It's large enough to be incredibly comfortable. Though, he does wish he hadn't packed his earbuds. Little does he know he can ask for a pair. This is first class, after all!

Jun turns in his seat a little more to actually face his neighbour and quickly shakes his head. "No! No, it's okay. You didn't bother me at all." He reaches up to tap his finger against the headphones now sitting down around his neck. "I wasn't even actually listening to anything. It's just an easy way to pick and choose who I actually wanna talk to, you know?" He's lying. He was definitely listening to music. Though he does pull the cord out of his pocket to show that it's not connected to anything.

...it's because he just pulled the jack out of his phone. He'd leaned against the arm of the seat a little awkwardly when he did it to pin the phone between it and himself. But it totally looks like he's not lying, right?

Well, considering Simon has no reason to think Jun's lying... Why would he suspect?

He offers a nod and an understanding smile. "I left mine packed," he lamented just before sipping his water. "I'm travelling with some members of my dance troupe. It's just a fluke that we've been seated separately, so I didn't think I'd need them."

Perfect.

Jun frowns and then sort of gestures vaguely around the plane. The first class portion of the plane, specifically. "You do know that you could just ask for some, right? They'll bring you pretty much whatever you want. I'm sure if you said you wanted them to bring you a pretty blond from economy to talk to, they'd find someone for you. Though you do already have a pretty blond to talk to..." He points to himself and grins at Simon a little expectantly as though waiting for him to agree, then bursts out laughing. Look, he knows that it was a ridiculous thing for him to say but he's fine with that.

"Sorry! So anyway, you're a dancer?"

Pay no mind to Simon's eyes growing larger and larger the more Jun says. And his cheeks actually redden: first at the mere suggestion of a pretty blond, then the compliment Jun pays to himself. He bites his tongue to keep from responding with the knee-jerk 'I'm not gay.' But Jun's quick to laugh so... Maybe Simon's overthinking it.

Now he flusters a little. His thoughts are going in different directions, so he simply looks down and rubs the back of his neck.

"Uh, yes, very pretty... I mean! Yes! I'm a dancer."

Oh. That wasn't really the reaction that Jun was expecting or hoping for. He didn't intend to make the poor guy all flustered. It wasn't meant to be taken seriously (unless Simon does think Jun's pretty, then it was absolutely meant to be taken completely seriously!). It was just meant to try to get Simon to relax a little. He seemed kind of tense and Jun thought maybe he'd lighten the mood a bit.

"...did I make you uncomfortable?"

Ah, dammit, Simon!

He closes his eyes and draws in a calming breath. When he opens them again, his expression is a little lighter. Of course, Jun didn't mean anything by what he said; we was just being friendly to a stranger. Stop reading so much into it.

"No, no, I'm sorry. Would you believe I'm a bit of a nervous flier? I make this trip often and I'm still a little uncomfortable on planes."

Jun laughs a little awkwardly as he nods his head. 'Nervous flyer' seems like a little bit of an understatement right about now. Jun opens his mouth to speak just as one of the flight attendants walks by. "Oh! Excuse me." He holds his index finger up to Simon as he turns his attention to the woman smiling down at him now. Hold on just a second please, Simon. "Would you mind getting my friend here a pair of headphones?" She looks over at Simon with a smile and turns her attention back to Jun for a quick 'I can certainly do that for you, Mr Yeo.'

In case Simon decides he's no longer terribly interested in Jun's company for the rest of the flight...

In the meantime, Jun turns his attention back toward Simon with a grin. "Headphone problem solved. Anyway, yeah. Yeah I think I can believe you're a nervous flyer. Some people just never really get used to it, no matter how many times they do it."

Maybe it is a bit of an understatement. He’s not scared to fly or anything like that. It’s just an intense discomfort. It’s even less about the flying as it is about in close proximity to total strangers. At least sitting in first class affords him a bit of distance.

Simon blinks when Jun asks for the earphones, knowing they’re for him. Jun already has his own.

“Yeah. My troupe makes this trip every few months, has for years. I’m still not used to it. Though, I might see about going first class more often. It’s pretty comfortable.”

❝ I’m leavin’ on a jetplane ❞

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CW: SIMON'S INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA

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