Mark My Words || DNF Soulmate AU

Chapter 17

"Ladies and gentlemen! Please depart the plane after it has stopped and the seatbelt sign is off. Do not forget your carry-ons and thank you so much for flying with us!"

George slides the shades to his airplane window up to see that it's dark outside, though flashes of light from air traffic controls are still illuminating the murkiness below. His plane was set to arrive in Florida at 2 AM, and from outside it appears that the estimation was accurate. It would be 7 in the morning in the UK, and George has never been one to wake up earlier than is needed. He rubs his eyes tiredly and unbuckles seatbelt after the sign clicks off with a ding, trying to drown out some of his nervousness with drowsiness. It doesn't work and he tries taking deep breaths instead.

A pinch of excitement mixes in with all his other emotions and George unconsciously plays with the fabric of his seatbelt. Instead of butterflies, George feels like one giant moth is flapping its wings gently in his stomach, brushing soft edges against him and setting tingles all the way down his back. He shivers a bit.

The stream of people grabbing their bags from the overhead compartments and leaving the plane thin out, and finally George stands up to grab his backpack. Some people attempt to jostle around him with apologetic smiles etches onto their tired faces. He barely notices, tense and too focused on all the feelings making it difficult to breathe, and doesn't even remember walking off the plane before he's staring at an overhead sign pointing left for "Baggage Claim."

That's where Dream is going to be, isn't it? A few minutes away.

The thought makes George shudder and he decides to sit down first so that he doesn't look like a literal zombie when he first sees Dream. Pulling his phone out from where it had been on airplane mode in his backpack, George connects to the airport WIFI. Immediately, previous messages from Dream during the flight ding through. George clicks them open.

Dream

just text me when you're here i'll be waiting by the baggage claim

leaving the house now, see you soon!

arrived, trying to find which baggage claim you are

The last message was sent three minutes ago, and George closes his eyes to process the information. The thought of Dream interacting with his suitcase makes little sense in George's brain, the two never before having interacted with the same objects other than the occasional gifts sent each other's way. Dream was going to physically be in-contact of George's suitcase, which he has been meticulously preparing and packing for the last week.

Why is that such a strange thought?

George thinks maybe it's the sleepiness and confusion of the new environment getting to him. He thinks he should stop thinking. Despite having just woken up from a nap, George believes he needs to sleep again.

Resolutely and quickly, as if truly trying to act before his brain can catch up, George stands up and slides his backpack on and speed-walks to a bunch of screens constantly updating with new information. He finds his flight number and next to it the screen tells him his luggage will be dropped off at the 4th baggage claim, and he takes an escalator downstairs to get there.

He's nearing Dream with every step, George thinks, breathing shallowing as he contemplates being able to see and touch Dream in person.

Stop thinking stop thinking stop thinking.

The escalator goes too quickly and too slowly at the same time, and George almost wants to walk back up a few steps so he can take the time and catch his breath. He doesn't, knowing it's probably illegal and will earn him weird stares from passersby, but he really really wants to.