First Class Action

Hitting it Off

The next hour was an endless stream of awkward small talk and long silences. Luckily, Nines figured out fairly quickly that giving Gavin something to put in his mouth was a sure way to ease the tension. He kindly offered Gavin the menu and reminded him that everything was already paid for in his ticket, so he didn't have to hold back. He also highly recommended the Cosmopolitans, which set Gavin off to a rocky start already as he ordered one and downed it almost immediately. That was a mistake. They were pretty small, but they packed a definite punch. Gavin wouldn't accuse Nines of trying to get him drunk, but he didn't hesitate to order a second round once Gavin had finished his first.

Nines ensured he ate as well. He wanted to actually enjoy their encounter later. He ordered a light chicken curry for both of them, and a bottle of water to ensure they remained hydrated for the flight. The curry came with rice and naan bread, and Gavin almost wolfed it down. He hadn't even realised he was so hungry. He was ravenous. He hadn't exactly eaten breakfast earlier, and he'd been busy with meetings, seeing a few final sights, and getting to the airport before that. The water was desperately needed as well. Nines didn't hesitate to order him dessert and more water to go with it. Gavin scarfed the cheesecake that arrived as well. He was just chugging the last of his water as Nines pointed out their gate was up on the board already.

The three of them walked over, with Nines being considerate enough to stop and check whether Gavin needed the bathroom on the way out. With that done, they headed to the gate and Nines walked straight up to the clerks. Within two minutes, Nines had returned to say they needed to wait a few minutes for the final checks to be completed. That was fine by Gavin, though he did feel a little out-of-place waiting in the queue for first and business class. Sure, there was something a little special about it, the feeling that he was being envied for once, but there was also the feeling of being fake and pretentious. Nines had no such reservations. He seemed perfectly at ease as he waited, waving away the clerk's offers of taking a seat in a slightly nicer seating area.

They were the first to board, and three of the only guests in first class at all. Nines took Gavin's ticket and shared a few quiet words with one of the clerks, holding up both of their tickets and putting on his most amicable smile. It seemed Nines was used to having things go his way, and with a nod of understanding, Gavin was handed a new ticket. It wasn't a big deal. They'd just moved their seats closer together, so they were neighbours. As they stepped on board, a new lady in a pale blue uniform showed them to their seats. They were led up to the second floor and into the front section of the plane. They passed a small bar with tall stools, the bathrooms, and a seating area before stepping into a section with only sixteen seats. Nines was on the left and Gavin was by the window on the right. They were right at the front, with only a small room for cabin crew in front, so only staff would pass by during their rounds. Each large chair was in their own booth that even had a closing door.

"You already saw the bar on the way through...Perhaps after take-off you'd like to look around and get a drink." The offer took Gavin by surprise. He wasn't exactly sterling company. Their interactions so far had been awkward as fuck, and Gavin himself had said very little. Maybe that's why he wants to meet up. So he's not just banging some weird as phck guy he picked up in a queue...He may even have been being polite after realising he was Elijah's brother. Not going to stop him fucking me though...He wasn't sure whether or not to take that as a compliment. "Just sit down and strap in for now. We need to go through the same safety announcements and procedures as everyone else...Here, let me." Nines easily took Gavin's backpack and put it up in the locker, allowing Gavin to sit down awkwardly in his booth. There were the same little complimentary headphones and things as economy, only way better quality. "Having fun?" Nines almost teased as he leaned on Gavin's booth and looked over the top.