LMPYITP: The Random Passages

[He] Don't Feel No Shame

            The airport was packed beyond belief as we stood in the line. I really thought we'd beat the crowd considering what time it was but I guess I was wrong.

"We are in the airport." Gene spoke into the camera on his phone. "It's about five o'clock in the morning, Eastern Standard Time, and we are about to go through security. Hello, Matthew!" He turned the camera to face Matt.

"Hello." Matt replied smiling at it.

He turned the camera towards me. "Hello, Juliet!"

"Hello." I returned flatly giving the camera a slight nod.

We weaved through the line waiting our turn until it was finally time to put our bags through the x-ray machines and take off our shoes.

We made it through security and headed straight for our terminal.

"You got your coffee?" Gene kept the camera on Matt as they sat beside each other.

"Yeah." Matt replied with a nod before taking a sip.

"You're sorted?"

"Yeah."

"Give it a rest, Gene!" I ordered.

He put the camera on me and I couldn't help rolling my eyes.

Eventually, it was time to board the plane.

I sat between Matt and Gene. Gene was quick to take the window seat not that Matt or I minded letting him have it.

"C'mon!" Gene exclaimed turning his camera around so our faces all appeared on the screen. "We need one before we take off."

Matt and I obliged smiling as big as we felt awake enough to do.

The shutter flashed and Gene hurried to open his next app.

@gallagher_gene: New York, we love ya! See ya in a bit!

The flight attendant came on telling us to either turn our phones off our set them to airplane mode. Matt and I both turned ours off but Gene wanted to have access to his iTunes.

"Ya want one?" He asked offering me one of his headphones. He knew I didn't like ear buds so he changed them out to a pair that covered your entire ear and wrapped around the back of your earlobes.

"Sure. Thanks." I smiled taking it from him.

He put the music on shuffle and then the plane finally took off.

I opened my eyes and glanced down in front of me. I gasped as I recognized the left hand holding my right.

It was big and hairy with a very familiar ring on its middle finger.

I lifted my head and looked over to my right.

He smiled at me. "Alright, Blue?"

I smiled back. "Alright. How long was I asleep?"

"Not long." He informed me shaking his head. "But you were conked out and I didn't wanna wake you. Ya needed your rest."

"Your shoulder's too comfy!" I told him pressing my face into it.

He giggled squeezing my hand a bit. "Here." He raised the arm rest so it was out of the way. "Now ya can get more comfortable, yeah?"

"Yeah." I nuzzled into his side while he wrapped his arm around me. "Take a trip to the toilet with me."

He giggled a little more. "You serious?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah." Then I opened my eyes in realization. I looked to my left and my eyes widened at the empty seat next to me. "Where's Gene?"

I jolted awake with a gasp and jumped when I noticed whose hand I really was holding. I pulled away as fast as I could. "Sorry!" I exclaimed. "I fell asleep and-"

"It's alright!" Matt assured me. "I know ya did. But you were conked out and I didn't wanna wake you. Ya needed your-"

"No I didn't!" I snapped moving as far away from him as the space in my seat would allow.

Author's Note:

This one wasn't on the list I included in "Tip of the Iceberg" as I hadn't thought of it yet. Speaking of the list, I forgot to mention I sort of lost track of where this time period in real life (October 2017) falls in Jules' main story which has affected my ability to incorporate more current events into it when I go to update the Random Passages. I think I figured it out though. I finally listened to another track off As You Were! I expected "Come Back to Me" to be a bit slower paced and thought it'd fit this story better if it was but I think it still fits it well. It's a top tune and I feel like it could appear again in Jules' main story. So is this chapter the last part of the "[He's] a Genius" series? I really don't want to say yes in case I get another idea. To be honest, this story really could be worked into the main one if I found the right place for it. I expected to include more detail in this one but I think I covered everything I wanted to. I feel like my attention to and energy for detail has really been pulled in Addie's direction rather than Jules'. But like I said, I'm going to get those other updates for the Random Passages done as soon as possible. I hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks again for reading!