Fear of Fallling

[Nox]

Nox hadn't acknowledged Lucas' question. He was focusing on not dying. Well on breathing, he felt if he stopped thinking about it he'd not be able to do so involuntarily and die of asphyxiation and he didn't imagine that was any better way to go than falling out of a fucking plane. He had no idea how Aria did that to herself, but she did and there was little he could do to keep her from it. Coping mechanisms were just that, a means to getting through, he wouldn't deny her anything unless of course she killed her self while on his watch, he'd be pissed about that.

They were in the air, and the ride was smooth, for the most part. The littl bell dinged and the light went off indicating that movement about the cabin was possible. Nox didn't move, but Aria stirred next to him, he had to give her credit she had a lot of people on this flight, all vying for her attention in her head, and if that was all that she was going to do they would make it through just fine.

Through closed eyes, Aria asked Lucas, "Did I tell you why Nox doesn't like flying?"


Nox protested, "Aria, please. Not now."


Nox felt the smile through from her calming effect on him. He opened his eyes and gave her a mock glare. ""You are trying to make me think of other things?"


Aria laughed, "No I was going to tell Lucas you don't like flying because the last plane you were in crashed just before it landed in Moscow."


Nox groaned, "Thanks love. I adore you for that."
He glared but it was not real. She had told Lucas with out tell him directly. Not that he cared that Lucas knew but he didn't want to hear any details of the plane crash. It was his fault, and that he knew Aria would not tell Lucas. It was a secret they shared, and she believed wholeheartedly in not telling secrets that were not hers to tell. And this was one of them.

Nox took the headset out of his pocket and put on music to drown things out with. But he could still hear Aria tell Lucas the details of the results of his encounter with the ground at high velocity. His months of incapacitation, his recovering, meeting her. Between the music and her version of his story, Nox found that he wasn't nearly so panicked as he had been. But Aria still held his hand, and Nox hadn't realized it, but he didn't want to let go, realizing that she was probably the reason he wasn't having a panic attack right now. He'd have to thank her later.