Offbeat

Tin Can in the Sky

A/N: A request for CarlySalvatore1234 , based on this au post off tumblr: http://fuckyeahcharacterdevelopment.tumblr.com/post/128560897031/meet-cute-planes-trains-and-automobiles

It's short and sweet, hope you like it!

*****

'NASHVILLE HERE WE COME!' Kevin yelled as they arrived in the airport terminal. This was the first time in a while they'd done a tour without cameras following them, and their set was shorter and easier. With an added bonus of performing with the Kelly Clarkson, everyone was excited.

Except Avi.

Alyssa was coming with them on this tour. He loved Alyssa, but it meant she would be sitting next to Kevin on the plane, not him. He planned to sit next to Esther on the plane journey instead, since she already knew about his flying issues.

'Hey Avi, I hope you don't mind, but would I be able to sit next to Esther for the flight?' Mitch asked. 'I forgot my headphones so I was gonna share her music.'

'Yeah, sure, no worries.' Avi plastered a convincing smile on his face as his heart sank. Dammit, Esther. She'd left him high and dry.

'That means I finally get to sit next to you on a flight, cos you're my BOYFRIEND!' Scott jumped on him from behind. 'Come on, boyfriend, let's go!' He put his arm around Avi's waist and lead him onto the plane, which was now boarding.

While Avi normally loved Scott's fun attitude, today it was making him very nervous. They moved into the window and middle seat, two rows behind Kirstie and Jeremy, near the back of the plane. Avi began shaking his leg.

'You okay, Avi? You're not sick are you?'

'No.' Avi mumbled, his face pale.

'Shall I get a flight attendant or something?'

'I'm just nervous.'

'Oh.' And then Scott realised.  'Oh my god are you afraid of flying? How did I not know that all these years?' Scott laughed.

'Please don't.' Avi snapped.

'Sorry.' Scott said guiltily.

The plane began to move, trundling steadily towards the runway. Avi gripped his armrest.

'There's no-one next to us, so if you want me to move out a seat so we ha-' Scott was cut off.

'Can you stay close?' Avi asked, looking Scott in the eyes. There was fear there, not just of the plane, but of Scott's judgement too.

'Sure, yeah, don't worry about it.' Scott replied, starting to feel genuinely sorry for him.

After a few minutes the plane was pointing down the runway, and began to accelerate. Avi squeezed the arm rest so tight his knuckles went white. As the plane lifted from the ground, he instinctively grabbed the closest hand to his.

Scott was startled for a moment. Avi really was scared. He moved towards his flight companion in a protective manner, who then turned towards him and buried his head in his chest. Scott began stroking Avi's head, tentatively at first, but then in a natural rhythm.

They remained that way for the five minutes it took to get up into the sky. When the pilot began to tilt the plane, the hand Avi did not have gripped in Scott's came round and wrapped across his torso. A middle aged couple across the aisle from them were glaring in disapproval, but it was nothing Scott hadn't learnt to ignore.

As the plane settled into its flight, Avi seemed to finally register what had happened. He quickly sat up and let go of Scott's hand.

'Sorry, I didn't - I'm so sorry, that... I -' Scott cut off Avi's sputtering with a strong hug.

'It's okay, anytime, sister.' Scott said as he gripped Avi's still shaking body. Avi pushed back out of the embrace and rolled his eyes.

'It's not my fault. There is nothing safe or natural about being in a tin can in the sky.'

'Well, your boyfriend is here to protect you now.' Scott squeezed his arm.

'Shut up.' he joked.

'No, you shut up, momma needs her beauty sleep.' Scott retorted, resting his head on Avi's shoulder and stretching into the spare seat. Avi tutted, but secretly found the proximity reassuring, and smiled as he put his earbuds in to settle down for the flight.