Chapter Text
A wiseman probably said some deep philosophical quote about flying and the relationship it has to freedom, some colorful bullshit that would make one nod their head thoughtfully before continuing on with their life. She called bullshit on any of those quotes. Flying and freedom her ass, being stuck in a metal tube for hours on end with crying children was not what she called freedom. Though that was not the problem She had with flying, well not completely. Her problem and wariness was mostly directed towards the fact Jupiter could strike the whole plane down at any moment.
Yet, despite this she had found herself constantly on planes. Either traveling around the country or, as she was now, crossing the pacific. Perhaps she was a masochist when it comes to inducing anxiety within herself. That was what her older sibling told her after she informed her on her decision to attend UCL for her master in Paleoanthropology. In her defense, leaving the States seemed like a bright idea after fighting in multiple wars at a ripe age of nine and ten that left her with only scars and nightmares.
And she was right, no quests followed her across the pond. The only parts of her heritage that followed her was her great whatever grandmother occasionally visiting to check in and her cousin was stuck with her unless they wished to go back to the underworld. No monsters, no great grandfather trying to kill her, nothing. It probably was the most relaxing two years of her life.
Sure her protection spells probably played a role in it, but out of sight out of mind.
So while her family was disappointed and hurt that she decided to move more permanently to the UK for the attempt at a museum curator job, she refused to allow the guilt to keep her at either camp. If it meant suffering for ten hours of anxiety that not even calling Thalia would fully soothe, then so be it.
The plane itself finally found some silence, with the majority of the passengers now asleep. The only sound coming from the occasional chatter and movement of the flight attendants as well as the rare notification from the pilot.
Was it improper to make a bunch of mortals go to sleep? Probably, but it soothed her mind. She never was a fan of so much chatter.
Though, the problem with silence was how it left her alone in her thoughts. That and the combination with every jolt of turbulence caused her to think back to any moment she might have incurred his wrath and her mind would get stuck there, like an endless loop.
"Oh calm down, do you think Jupiter would strike down a plane with children in it?" A familiar voice spoke loudly, snapping her out of her mental cycle. She raised her eyebrows at them, Devin's nose scrunching slightly.
"Actually don't answer that," her cousin, Devin, continued, snorting slightly. "You are still freaked out about flying?The fact you managed to survive the field school flights is a miracle, how are you not used to it by now?"
She sent an irritated glance at them, spotting their translucent visage in the hallway. Their golden locks never out of place as they brushed against their chin, their grey eyes appearing almost misty in contrast to the bright purple shirt. She always had a hard time maintaining eye contact with them, it never took long for her to remember their blank glassy eyes staring but never to see again and blood soaked clothing that gave out a strong scent of iron that still triggers her gag reflex and makes her feel faint while sticking to her person no matter how much she tries to clean herself.
She shook her head harshly, as if she could physically shake away the memory.
"This should be the last flight for awhile," she tapped on the food tray in morse code, ignoring their words while glancing away from them to focus on the movie selections on the tiny tv screen as she placed her hands back on her lap.
Devin hummed, "Fingers crossed eh. I'm sure Thalia would enjoy a break from the constant praying."
She clicked her tongue, a small seed of guilt growing within her at the reminder. She never meant to have Thalia become a part of her preflight ritual, yet having the daughter of Zeus on her side brought a sense of protection that neither her prayers and burnt food offering could bring her.
A rush of coldness brushed her skin as Devin floated next to her, her seat neighbor shivering in his sleep.
"Mmm only seven hours left," Devin let out a dramatic sigh, "Transatlantic flights huh? Perhaps a movie would be a better waste of time than rubbing your skin off."
She looked at their pointed and unimpressed stare, following it to her wrist that she had been absently-mindly rubbing a deep red mark on her tattoo, pushing her imperial gold wristwatch closer to her palm. The crossed torch and key above the SPQR lettering, the eleven lines all sticking out boldly. Five lines more than Devin, ten years since…she shook her head and placed her fingers on the food tray instead.
She rubbed her eyes beneath her glasses and sighed.
"That worried?"
"I want the job, something to keep me busy in between everything else, plus income," she swiftly tapped out.
"Hey, you got this. You worked your ass off for years to get this far. Besides, it is almost as if you lived and breathed this type of history."
She merely forced a smiled, tapping her fingers against her legs.
Devin let out a groan, flipping backwards. "You survived a lot worse, cousin, and you will survive whatever comes next." With a sigh they shook their head, "Think about that yeah? I'm going to wait in your apartment, oh pardon, flat," their voice took a turn into an thick posh british accent, "now because just being here with you for three hours is already giving me anxiety," they started to vanish, slowly like mist dispersing throughout the plane before pausing, "Relax. Watch a movie. Worry about the job interview instead. So many choices."
Before she could respond to their shit pep talk they were gone, their absence leaving an ache in her heart.
She glanced at the screen once more as the plane hit another wave of turbulence causing her to nearly jolt upwards against the seat belt.
Perhaps a movie would be good.