Collision Course [Candice, Ehefra]

It was frustrating enough that her personal jet had been caught up in repairs and refuelling whilst she had business to attend to in the City of Lights, but there had also been no suitable options for Candice to even hire out. Short of buying out an entire airline, which was not technically infeasible but would probably require further explanation to her parents than she was exactly prepared to give, there was nothing else she could have done. And it was not worth the potential grief of having to explain to her parents that she had postponed her initial flight out of America so that she could spend a few more hours with a girl she had picked up at a maid cafe. Not that her parents were totally unaware of Candi's proclivities, but it was not ideal for their brand image.

So, having left her entourage behind in business and economy, Candi had been able to snag the last seat in First Class. If she hadn't then, of course, the journey would have been untenable and the whole thing would have been called off and postponed until her jet was fixed. Still, she rarely flew on commercial flights for one rather distinct reason. She was terrified of planes. For a woman that could shoot lightning from her hands and even sprout wings from her back to soar across the skies, it was a rather peculiar fear to have. But that did nought to dissuade her fears and - despite her protests - her parents were not happy for her to fly anywhere by herself.

There was one easy remedy for this crippling fear, as simple as it was effective. Candi would simply drink herself into a stupor and try to either sleep or simply forget her way through the flight until they had touched down and her team could carry her off the plane like the dignified lady she was. This process had naturally started in the airport lounge, and she was suitably buzzed by the time she found her way to her booth. That was how things worked on this airline, it seemed. Each First-Class guest had their own booth and across from them was another booth, though they could choose to pull across a curtain if they so wished to further divide them.

Ordering herself another pair of gin and tonics - hold the tonic, Candi settled into her lounge chair and found herself staring at the booth opposite hers. She could see there was a person tucked in there and reclined her seat just a little to get a better view. God, she must have already had enough because that woman looked awfully familiar.

The other woman even sounded familiar too, great. That meant the strategy was almost definitely working, and hopefully, she would be out like a light in no time at all. And yet she did not feel that familiar tingle at her extremities, nor that rosy tint that made reality all that more comfortable. There was a tightening in her stomach, yes, but that was at the voice rather than the alcohol.

It was Ehefra's voice.

The fact that she was cognizant enough to deduce that off of a single sentence was not a good sign for the next few hours, but in the immediate it sent her head spiralling down a path that she had only just about finished walking. Surely she was imagining it. It made no sense otherwise. Was she really losing her mind over this one night stand? Absolutely.

She should go over to make sure. Just a cheeky peak over the divider. Nice and subtle, no need to make a big deal out of this. If it was a stranger then they wouldn't mind, that would set her mind at ease. But what if it wasn't? What if it was her, by some miracle bolt from across the night sky? This was so unlike her. God she hated herself in that single moment of crippling self-doubt, and then the hostess set down the two cans of gin. Gunning them both down with what could only be called reckless abandon, Candice pushed herself up so that she was kneeling on her chair. From there, she shimmied forwards until she could peer over the divider and down at the other woman. It was certainly not as sneaky as her mind might have intended it to be.

"H-Hefra?"

"Hefra! Don't worry about it!"

Candice's tone was a little less taciturn than Ehefra's but it was clear that she was both surprised and happy to see the other woman sitting right there before her. She looked just about ready to launch herself at the other woman when the notice went up to stay in their seat for takeoff. For a moment more it seemed like she might keep going before Candi caught herself and slowly retreated back to her own seat and began strapping herself in. Her smile seemed to almost run ear to ear as gazed across at the all too familiar face. Suddenly, this was becoming a welcome turn of events.

"Oh, I was meant to fly back yesterday but well... And then my jet needed to refuel at a different airport and some idiots broke something during the layover. Then I tried to hire a jet but there weren't any in the local area so I considered buying an airline but it would have been a lot of paperwork so I decided to just catch a normal flight. Phew. Honestly, it's been so stressful ever since you left."

She was talking fast, not quite at the level of slurring her words or anything so drastic but it was definitely a mix of alcohol and excitement. This notable upswing certainly had reached its peak and began to decline as the plane started moving though, her smile rescinding inch by inch whist her hands gripped the sides of her seat with white knuckle intensity.

The whole takeoff experience was as jarring as possible for poor Candice, who seemed to almost melt into her seat as soon as the wheels left the runway. At least with her private jet things usually went smoother, as all the bouncing around was doing the poor woman no good, and she quietly cursed whoever had sabotaged her and forced this dark fate to come to pass. Those thoughts did suddenly dematerialise as she felt the brushing of something against her foot though, and that snapped her from her stupor.

She was used to flying alone. It meant that no one got to see her like this, which was definitely a plus, and yet suddenly it felt like she had been doing it wrong all this time. Suddenly all her usual fears felt just a little smaller, like they were being put on mute, and then she didn't have to think about them quite as much. Slowly, her eyes opened and Candi found herself staring across at Ehefra. Why did she feel better just by knowing she was there?

"Yeah, I.. uh.. It's nice to see you again. Been a while."

Even as the seatbelt light went out, Candice still seemed to be almost merging with her chair. Sure, it was easier with someone there to talk to, but that did not mean that she did not have to do everything she could just to maintain what little composure she had left.

"You're travelling First Class too?"

There was a moment, as she watched Ehefra begin to get out of her seat, where she wanted to tell her not to. That this Candice was unsightly, hideous even, and most unfit for company. But she was weak now, at her weakest even, and so she said nothing. Emerald orbs instead studying the other woman longingly. Pleading for her to approach, to be there, even if she would never have said it. If there had been a truth to Candi when they had parted ways the day before, that same honesty was written across her eyes now like a bright neon sign.

The rest of her rigid disposition faltered as Ehefra tried to comfort her, eventually sliding sideways in her seat to make ample room for them to sit side by side. Even as she felt those all-too-familiar fingers wrap around her own, the first in a series of long exhales began to escape Candice’s lips.

“You can stay with me for as long as you’d like, Hefra. I get just a little bit nervy too, so we can hold each other up.”

Of course, despite everything, Candi still latched on to the first opportunity given to save any amount of face. Just by the way Ehefra was acting, it was clear to her that the woman was under no illusions about the reality of the situation and yet had thrown her a bone anyway. Had she really done enough to warrant such kindness? God, she had warned this girl to stay away. Let her go willingly too. Yet now they were forced together again by some impossible twist of fate.

That small voice of genuine good intention cried out for her to do the right thing. To leave it as they had left it before and make peace with that, but right now all Candice wanted to do was be held and this woman was holding her. Well, that wasn’t all she wanted to do anymore.

“It isn’t exactly common ground for me, I admit. But I’m glad you’re here too.”

Candi shifted in her seat a little more, turning inwards so that she might face her travelling partner a little more head on. Her free hand; having eventually unclamped itself from the armrest like a snake uncoiling from around its prey, crossed the short distance between them until it was cupping the underside of Ehefra’s face.

“We can do just a little more than talk, though, can’t we?”

Her complexion was a little paler overall, her vibe a few notes off key, but there was that familiar Candice spark. An impish smile soon spreading across her lips as she looked down at the other woman.