Chapter Text
“Alright everyone, the seat belt sign has been turned on,” the voice of a flight attendant chirped overhead. “Please buckle up and prepare for takeoff.”
Emma gulped and looked out the window, trying to keep calm as she felt the plane start to rumble beneath her. She felt her familiar pre-flight anxiety pulse through her as the plane started to speed up, preparing to leap into the sky. But before she got too anxious, she felt a warm, comforting hand slip into her own.
“You’re doing great, babe,” Alyssa said gently, rubbing a small circle on her girlfriend’s hand while squeezing tightly. She was pretty familiar with Emma’s flight anxiety having been through this a few times before.
Emma squeezed back before resting her head on Alyssa’s shoulder and closing her eyes wearily. “I hate flying,” she mumbled, burying her face in Alyssa’s hair.
“I know,” Alyssa soothed, bringing Emma’s hand to her lips for a gentle kiss. “But the worst part is almost over, and it’s going to be so worth it.”
“Yeah it will,” Emma agreed as she snuggled deeper into Alyssa’s side. “I can already see the Eiffel Tower.”
The trip had been a surprise college graduation gift from the gang. In only a month, Emma would be starting a full time job working as a youth outreach coordinator for GLAAD; a month after that, Alyssa would be starting law school (Columbia Law, full scholarship). This would be their last time to truly be carefree before the reality of adulting set in, and the two had been talking for weeks about where they would be vacationing in their very limited time off.
Paris was the dream. Well, it was Alyssa’s dream -- she spoke French fluently, she was an art history minor dying to see the Louvre, and she loved the history and culture. Emma didn’t feel too strongly, but she had never left the country before, and spending a week in the most romantic city in the world didn’t sound too bad at all. As long as she got some really good bread and cheese at some point, all that mattered to her was being with Alyssa.
There was no way they would be able to afford it on their own, but their friends had come through in the most amazing, generous ways. Dee Dee had endless Sky Miles saved up from flying back and forth between Edgewater and New York to visit Mr. Hawkins, so she donated the flights. Trent had an old friend from Julliard who was willing to lend the girls his Paris house for the week, rent-free. Angie’s old dresser from Chicago let them raid a Broadway costume storage unit for swanky new clothes for the trip that made them feel like they were stepping off a runway.
And Barry? Well, Alyssa didn’t know it yet, but his contribution to the trip had been the biggest. Emma just couldn’t wait for her to find out.
The rumble of the plane intensified as the machine glided into the air, and Emma squeezed Alyssa’s hand tightly as she felt her stomach drop. She had only been flown on a plane a few times before, and she hated every second of take off and landing.
“Shhh,” Alyssa whispered, running her fingers through Emma’s hair. “It’s okay. You’re okay”
Emma scrunched her eyes even tighter and tried to focus on the scent of Alyssa’s perfume, a calming floral scent that always danced through a room long after Alyssa had left. She burrowed even deeper into Alyssa’s curls and murmured, “Thanks for not making fun of me.”
“Of course not, babe.”
“If humans were meant to fly, they’d have wings.”
Alyssa laughed a little. “I love you a whole bunch, Emma Nolan.”
“I love you more,” Emma replied, her eyes still closed tightly.
“Not possible,” Alyssa said firmly.