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aller-geez · 4 days

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Flight 676 To Anchorage

Written & Illustrated By: allergeez ✨

Just shy of 6.5k words, and more snz than my typical fics cause this one is definitely self indulgent ~

After a month of working on this fic despite my crippling depression and self hatred, it’s gotta be one of my favorites I’ve written✨

Mentions public contagion, but honestly it’s just a bunch of Remi suffering 😏

And as always, Levi belongs to the lovely @thekinkyleopard 🌱

The airport was a bustling maze of noise and movement, with people rushing in every direction. Despite the chaotic atmosphere, Levi's face still held his trademark cheerful smile as he strolled hand in hand with his mate through the throngs of travelers. However, today there seemed to be a weariness in his step, slowing their progress through the sea of bodies. Remi's features were set in their usual scowl, his sharp green eyes scanning each passing person with suspicion, ready to push them aside if necessary. A messenger bag adorned one of the leopard's thin shoulders, containing their boarding passes, an extra jacket, and the book he was currently engrossed in for the flight. Remi's dingy backpack hung carelessly from his back, weighed down with their belongings for the trip ahead.

Almost silently, the wolf muffled a small, dry cough into his shoulder. “14B is our gate, yeah?” His deep voice pierced the silence between the two, and Levi’s bright eyes flew back to meet his mate’s.

He nodded, his smile faltering as he took in Remi's anxious demeanor. "Yeah, that's our gate." He squeezed his mate's hand reassuringly, silently hoping that the flight would be a smooth and uneventful one.

They weaved their way through the crowds until they reached their designated gate, finding two empty seats nearby. Levi gestured for Remi to take a seat before settling down next to him. The leopard let out a small sigh of relief as he sank into the cushioned seat, grateful for the brief moment of rest.

With a small yawn, the leopard fished through his bag to pull out their boarding passes, and handed one to his mate. Remi took the boarding pass from his mate's outstretched hand and glanced at it, then up at the departure screens above them, which flickered with information about their flight: "Flight 676 to Anchorage," he read out loud, tucking the pass into the inside pocket of his coat for safekeeping.

"Boarding starts in 20 minutes, love." The leopard gave Remi's hand a reassuring squeeze. Despite being awake almost all night packing both his own luggage AND Remi’s, then quadruple checking that they had everything possible together for their journey the following day, Levi was thankfully more cognizant than his mate and was able to keep up with more than one direction at a time.

The wolf looked away, his emerald eyes darting around the busy waiting area with renewed vigilance. It was hard for him to hide the fact that he wasn't feeling well; he felt feverish and nauseous from the car ride over here, and he was just barely able to hide the rounding of his consonants that came from the ever growing congestion behind his eyes. The press of bodies against him didn't help either; behind the wet cement block within his sinuses he could smell sweat and perfume mixing into a cloying cocktail of odors that made it hard for him to breathe comfortably.

Remi sighed through gritted teeth as he leaned back into his stiff chair and closed his eyes for a moment. His ears subconsciously twitched at the low rumble of the crowd, filtering out snippets of conversation: someone arguing about lost luggage...a baby crying in the distance...the scent of overcooked pretzels wafting from a nearby snack bar...

When did airports get so loud? And crowded? The wolf’s head spun as he sat in the leathery airport seat, a stubborn tickle gnawing at him and trying to get him to blow his cover in front of his mate. He had managed to smother a few sneezes into the plush collar of his sweatshirt earlier that morning when Levi was out of earshot but blowing now would definitely raise even the most sleep deprived leopard’s suspicions.

Silently he scrunched his nose back and forth before attempting a soft sniffle, although he quickly had to abort at the sheer waterlogged sound he produced.

With a determined glare, the wolf sat up straight in his seat and managed to knuckle at his overly sensitive nose before clearing his throat.

“I gotta pee, I’ll be right back in two seconds.” He tossed offhandedly to the other who sat tentatively, his blue eyes still locked on the many screens above to ensure they were in fact at the right gate. His expression twisted in surprise, then flickered to more concern.

“A-Are you sure, Rem? Okay but please hurry back we can’t miss the flight!” Levi called back anxiously but by then Remi was already weaving through the sea of people, in a B- Line for the nearest restroom, his nostrils flaring helplessly as he held his breath. Thankfully, the bathroom was right around the corner from their gate and as always, the men’s room had no line, allowing him to quickly slip into an open stall and nearly slam the door behind him, snatching a fistful of the single ply toilet paper from the roll before crushing it to his face as he pitched forward forcefully.

“hdt’ishhhh! Hhh—! Hihh’ISSHh! ihH’ktdSHhh!!! iH’tSSH! H— hhHiHhh! hhEhh-! HhEHh’iiTShh’iiEW!” His large frame was wracked with a fit of violent sneezes, leaving the wad of toilet paper in his hands a sopping mess.

Remi's body tensed as he braced himself against the stall wall, the force of his sneezes surprising even him. He had managed to keep them at bay for most of the morning, but now they were coming in rapid succession, each one stronger than the last.

Tears streamed from his emerald eyes as he gave a cautious inhale, then a slow exhale, and he tossed the sodden ball of paper into the open toilet.

“Bless you!” Called a stranger’s voice from another stall.

“Nnnngh—“ Remi grumbled low in his chest in acknowledgment as he unrolled more of the toilet paper on the wall and blew his nose with a soupy gurgle. With a grimace of disgust, he managed to clean himself up and toss the wad into the toilet with the other.

“Fuck me, I always feel like shit every god damn time we have to do ANYTHING.” The raven haired male growled loudly again, this time more to himself, and forcefully kicked the plexiglass walls of the stall he stood in, the sharp bang echoing loudly throughout the bathroom. Suddenly, the entire bathroom fell silent.

Frustrated and feverish, Remi finally exited the stall to an empty bathroom and stopped at the sinks to give himself a once over. He couldn’t look too much like walking death if he wanted to pass off as healthy to his ever inquisitive mate.

The wolf’s slightly dimmed green eyes scanned his reflection in the mirror, taking note of the deep purple circles under his eyes and the very subtle bulges of redness across his cheeks from how swollen his sinuses had started to become, as well as the slightly pink hue his nose had taken on.

The wolf took a second to turn on the water at the sink and splash some cool water across his face, using the bottom side of his shirt to dry himself afterward, finally taking a determined breath. “Let’s get this show on the road I guess…” he breathed before turning on his heels and making his way slowly from the quiet bathroom back out to the overwhelming mass of people. He swiftly wove through the other travelers until making it back to their gate, and Levi’s worried expression melted into happiness as soon as Remi’s face came into his line of sight.

“Perfect, you’re back! I think they’re just about to—“

Cutting the feline off, a voice came over the intercom, announcing boarding for their flight and Levi couldn’t help but giggle. “Perfect timing~”

Remi adjusted his backpack on his back before stretching his arms above his head with a loud yawn while he subconsciously gave his nose a good rub, a feeble attempt at looking “relaxed”.

With a knowing chuckle and a shake of his head, Levi followed suit and they made their way towards the line forming at the gate.

As they boarded the plane and found their seats, Remi couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety creeping up on him. He had never been a fan of flying and always felt restless on long flights. But somehow he just had a feeling that this one would be even worse than usual.

As they approached the seats labeled clearly on thier boarding pass, Remi gestured to the leopard to slide in first to the window seat. He hated being able to see outside anyway; plus, this way he could avoid anyone trying to be overly friendly with his mate. He didn’t want to have to cause a scene. Levi tossed the wolf a grateful, tired smile and slid in to the seat closest to the window, his messenger bag clutched tightly in his hand.

Remi took an extra second before taking his seat while Levi was distracted to scrub his red rimmed nostrils within an inch of their life, you know, for good measure.

He could feel that stubborn tickle start to dislodge itself from his sinus cavity and he only had a few more moments before he’d be forced to just grin and bear it while in flight.

Suddenly, a strange man brushed against one of Remi’s broad shoulders before a friendly voice brought Remi back to reality.

“Excuse me sir,” Dressed in a crisp, white button-up shirt and expensive-looking brown slacks, the voice had come from a man that exuded an air of importance that was simply lost on Remington. As he blinked his dulled green eyes, trying to shake off his daze, the man asked politely, "Sorry, sir, are you sitting here?" The contrast between their appearances was stark - the man's pristine attire against Remington's rumpled clothes and unkempt hair.

Hearing the conversation, Levi grabbed his mate’s wrist and gave him a gentle tug. “Yes I’m sorry, sir, He was just sitting down, weren’t you Acushla?”

Levi’s face displayed a sheepish smile towards the man before he glared at Remi who raised his hands in front of him in defense as he sat in the middle seat next to the leopard.

“Uh, yeah.” The wolf cleared his throat, and nodded towards the man as he took off his backpack and sat it on the floor in front of him.

“No problem at all.” The man graciously smiled and waited a moment before scooting into his own seat on the aisle.

Levi already began to pull out his extra blanket and pillow, slipping a pastel blue hoodie over his head while he got as comfortable as he could against the metal window. He had his book in his hand, but Remi could instantly tell that he wouldn’t be reading much, taking into account how exhausted he was.

Shortly, the wolf tried to stay incredibly still as the strange man got into his seat. He had been interrupted while he was trying to rid himself of the tickle that now licked up the tip of his nose before burning like wildfire up through his entire sinus cavity.

Remi could barely hold back a small whimper than was almost inaudible within the seat of voices around them, crushing his index knuckle to his septum in hopes to smother the sneezes instead, and he held his breath with his eyes squeezed shut……

One…..two……three….

Then, suddenly as if a dam had given way, the tickle bloomed within the tip of his nose and he was no match for its intensity. Remi sucked in a deep, involuntary gasp before pitching forward, his face deeply buried within the fabric of his sweater collar.

“Huh'GDTS'ue! Hnkt'KNXTuhh! Hh’NDKT’ih!” Three deep, nearly stifled sneezes were extremely muffled into his sweater, although the stranger who took his seat directly next to the raven haired man offered a wary smile. “Bless you!” He nodded his understanding towards Remi, who by now wanted to shrink into his stiff airplane seat, although the wolf ignored him as he glanced over at his mate who studied him with one eye open for a second, then both of them.

“Bless you, Acushla, are you okay?” The leopard asked with concern, although it was quite obvious the exhaustion from the morning was weighing on the feline as he stretched out a hand to gently rub the back of his fingers against his mate’s cheek. Remi couldn’t have been more red, both from embarrassment and the fever he was sure he was running.

Remington shook his head to dismiss the leopard’s worry and his touch, although he wanted nothing more than to melt into the felines gentle hands, he was determined not to slow down the plans this time. No matter how much his brain throbbed with every breath he took, or how much his head felt airy— yet packed tightly with wet cement at the same time.

“I’m fine, it’s just the temperature difference from these ACs or something.” Remington reassured his mate with a gentle smirk before he reached up towards the small spout in the ceiling that was blasting him with cold air and turned it off.

To an exhausted Levi, this sounded like a plausible explanation. Remi’s nose was sensitive; he was a wolf after all… and sometimes he would just get set off by things— it wasn’t like that was out of the ordinary…

The leopard yawned quietly with a nod, readjusting his pillow against the window and closing his eyes. “Okay my love.” The smaller male murmured as he relaxed into his seat.

The wolf’s anxious eyes darted around the cabin as Levi began to doze off, and he quietly sniffled into the hem of his coat. Remington couldn't help but study him with a mix of love but also an underlying anxiety —the way his eyelashes fluttered against his freckled cheeks were just too adorable.

Even now, with the plane lights dim, and the constant low drone of the chatter throughout the cabin of the plane, Remi covertly knuckled at his nose, a bead of moisture gleaming in the scarce light, earning him a quick uneasy glance from the stranger next to him as he shuffled through his own carry-on bag.

Suddenly cutting through the white noise of the cabin, a gentle chime echoed through the plane’s intercom, followed by a gentle, velvety soft voice of what the wolf could assume was the pilot.

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. Welcome to flight 676 to Anchorage, Alaska. Your flight today is looking to take around 9 and a half hours, and we’re not expected to have any delays or run into any turbulence.” The pilot explained slowly as the flight attendants began to walk up and down the aisles.

Without missing a beat, the emergency escape plan as well as the normal explanation and demonstration of the overhead oxygen masks in case of cabin depressurization was recited, followed by the bell of the Fasten Seatbelt sign becoming illuminated above everyone’s head.

Remi couldn’t help but look around anxiously, tossing a worried glance to his mate who was already sleeping peacefully while the hustle and bustle of the plane continued on around them, unaccustomed to handling the initial take off of the plane by himself. But with a determined grit of his teeth, he prepared himself none-the-less.

The plane rumbled and shook as it began its ascent, its powerful engines straining against gravity to haul the heavy metal bird into the sky. Brushing his long bangs from his forehead with a tense sigh, the raven haired man stared out of the small window from the corner of his eye, watching the world below turn into a colorful blur of tiny lights and shapes that were quickly turning into stars. His breath caught in his throat and he swallowed hard, shifting uncomfortably in his seat while his long fingers twitched at his side. He wondered whether he should just ask for a drink to calm himself down, despite the fact that the plane had just left the ground moments earlier, but decided against it as the plane continued to climb into the sky.

The air at higher elevation was so dry and stale that it was scraping across his tongue like sandpaper, making him want to lick his lips over and over again, but he knew better than that. Better not to draw any more attention to himself than necessary… Although, he definitely felt his nostrils twitching; as if with a mind of their own. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stop the tickle that was beginning to dance deep around his sensitive sinuses. This only seemed to aggravate the blooming sensation, and he attempted to stifle it with a fist but failed miserably, sending a loud "heh’iTTSHH’iEW! ihh- ih’TTSSHH!" rippling through the otherwise quiet cabin.

Immediately, all eyes turned towards him - including those of the man sitting next to him who was now visibly uncomfortable with the unexpected noise and possibly contagious wolf. The stranger quickly moved away from him, trying to create as much distance as possible between them while pretending to be engrossed in his book.

The wolf held his breath while his fever flushed cheeks seemed to beam a darker shade of vermillion. Despite the entire cabin seemingly focused on him, Remi’s entire focus was on Levi, although to the downtrodden man’s good luck, the leopard didn’t even seem to stir in the slightest.

He desperately tried to hold back his breath, afraid of what would happen if he let it out. But as his lungs burned and his throat tightened, he knew he couldn't hold it any longer. He released a shaky exhale, only to be met with a harsh cough that rattled through his congested chest. He was torn between relief at being able to breathe and fear of the consequences of his actions.

He did his best to stifle the next few coughs into his sleeve, though they still echoed through the quiet cabin. He could feel the eyes of the other passengers on him, and his cheeks burned with embarrassment.

The man next to him, who had recoiled when the canine first started coughing, now leaned over with concern in his eyes. "Hey buddy, you doing alright?" he asked kindly. Remi nodded, bristling slightly at the question, not meeting the man's gaze.

"Sorry," He mumbled, his voice raspy and slightly deeper than usual. "M’ fine, just allergies," the wolf replied tersely, turning his attention back out the window.

The man didn't look convinced. "That cough doesn't sound too good. Here, take some of these," he said, offering Remi a packet of cough drops from his bag.

Remi hesitated before accepting them with a quiet "thank you." He hoped taking the cough drops would show the man he was okay and get him to stop pressing the issue. Fuck, he hated people. Especially people who stuck their nose in his business….

Unwrapping a cough drop and popping it in his mouth, the menthol provided instant but temporary relief to his irritated throat. He knew the cough suppressant would only mask his symptoms, not cure the cold that was quickly progressing, but maybe it would get him through the remaining hours of their flight.

Within seconds, however, the wolf could feel another round of wet, chesty coughs rising up from his lungs. He tried to suppress them but it was useless, as always. He doubled over as a string of harsh coughs wracked his body, spraying fine droplets of contagious germs into the recirculated air.

The man next to him who just seconds earlier seemed sympathetic to the raven haired man’s situation, now recoiled in disgust, grabbing a napkin to shield his face. Other passengers nearby shot Remi angry glares, and a flight attendant hurried over with concern and offered the wolf a plastic cup full of water, which he eventually accepted hesitantly. Tossing another anxious glance at his mate curled up against the window, his cheeks almost couldn’t get any more red. Thankfully, the leopard still slept like a rock.

“Sorry," Remi croaked miserably, his usual deep, almost booming voice barely a whisper. He wanted to disappear, honestly. But as his embarrassment grew, so did his increasing frustration, causing his left eye to twitch every time a new pair of eyes bore into him.

As the flight attendant finally made her way back to her seat, he tried to sink back as far as possible into his own chair. His throat burned fiercely and his chest felt heavy. The wolf's ears were starting to plug up and he could feel pressure building in his sinus cavities. His whole body ached with feverish chills. He just wanted to curl up somewhere dark and sleep for days.

“Uh,” Remi snorted back the congestion miserably, dragging one of his wrists under his streaming nose, a glimmering trail of moisture deposited on his clammy skin. “I deed to get through…” he stated to the man next to him simply, pressing a wrist to his septum as the ever-present irritation blooming in the recesses of his nose made itself known again.

The man groaned, irritated that he had to set down the SkyMall magazine he was leaving through, but still rose to his feet and slid out of way to stand in the aisle, obviously recoiling as the wolf slipped by him.

Remi made his way down the aisle towards the bathroom at the back of the plane, stifling a few raspy coughs into his sleeve as he went. He could feel thick congestion building in his sinuses, packing tightly behind his eyes and making his head pound. As he reached the bathroom, he let out an explosive fit of ticklish sneezes that he barely had time to aim at his elbow.

"hh’IISHH! —hd’ISCHhhh!! —hhh’dtTISHhh! —hdt’ISHHhh! Ugh..." Remi groaned, quickly letting himself into the bathroom and locking the door behind him. He leaned heavily on the sink, avoiding his reflection in the mirror as he fished in the inside pocket of his coat for a travel pack of tissues he had conveniently stashed there earlier that morning. He blew his nose forcefully several times, filling up each consecutive handful of tissues instantly. Crumpling them in his fist, he tossed them in the trash can with a miserable, unproductive sniffle.

Despite blowing his nose, Remi could still feel pressure building inside his sinuses. He snorted again thickly, tasting the unpleasant discharge in the back of his throat. His ears felt clogged and he worked his jaw, trying to get them to pop, but to his dismay, it was seemingly impossible.

After washing his hands, the wolf wet a paper towel and held it to his flushed face, hoping the coolness would provide some relief. But his head continued to pound and his nose tickled maddeningly.

“God, fuck ME.” the frustrated man growled, finally managing to make eye contact with himself in the mirror; but even he couldn’t help but grimace from the image he was faced with.

The usual blindingly bright gleam from his emerald eyes was considerably dimmer, and the purple bags under his eyes now looked like trenches that bordered his flushed, swollen cheeks, and bright red nose. His forehead was littered with beads of sweat, and his normally tanned skin had become uncharistically pale.

“Geezus fuck, Remington, you’re lookin’ mad rough, bud.” The wolf snarled under his breath to himself in disgust, shaking his head as he stood up straight.

He couldn’t believe how terrible he looked and felt. This cold or whatever it was, was really taking a toll on him.

But he had to keep pushing through. The two men FINALLY had the money together that they needed to buy some land; something him and Levi had been talking about since they first met. He couldn’t let something so stupid, like another illness, slow them down this time.

With a defeated sigh, Remi splashed water on his face and took a deep breath before unlocking the bathroom door and stepping out.

He nearly collided with the flight attendant who was just about to knock on the door. “M’bad.” he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes with one hand as he stumbled past her towards his seat. She gave him a concerned look but said nothing, moving on down the aisle to check on other passengers.

Noticing Remi standing in the aisle next to him, waiting to slip back into his own seat, the once concerned, kind business man rolled his eyes, once again closing his magazine before rising to his feet and making enough room for the raven haired man to shimmy by him.

The wolf let out a groan as soon as he sat down, trying not to think about how much longer this flight still had left. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, hoping for some relief from the pounding headache and congested sinuses. But no matter how much he tried to relax, the pressure in his nose and behind his eyes only seemed to intensify.

After only a few moments, the wolf groaned softly as he felt another fit of sneezes building in the back of his nose. Just as his jaw fell slack and his long eyelashes fanned his cheeks, the wolf cupped his hands over his face just in time as the forceful explosions burst out of him.

"iit’shHiEW! hh'IETSH’UE! heh’iTTSHH’iEW! ITSCCCHH’ah!! Hih—! Hd'TISHHHh!"

The poor wolf shuddered with each messy sneeze, helplessly spraying his hands with germ laden saliva. The loud sneezes echoed through the quiet cabin, causing several nearby passengers to turn and stare at the miserable canine. He sniffled thickly as he grabbed tissues from his pocket to blow his sore, irritated nose. At this point, he was actually surprised that all of his loud outbursts hadn’t woken his mate even once, although he couldn’t say he wasn’t thankful.

Remi blew his nose wetly, filling the tissue in an instant. He leaned back and sighed, tugging his hood up in an attempt to hide his face.

The man seated next to Remi shook his head in disapproval. He had been growing increasingly annoyed with the ailing canine's noisy sneezing and coughing throughout the short time that the plane had been in the air. As the raven haired male blew his poor, raw nose yet again and crossed his arms over the fold-out tray in front of him, burying his face in the fabric of his coat sleeves, the man finally had enough.

"Excuse me," he called out to a passing flight attendant. "Could I possibly switch seats? The person next to me seems quite ill." He grimaced in disgust as he gestured towards Remi’s crumpled form.

The flight attendant gave a sympathetic nod and began scanning the cabin for an open seat to relocate the disgruntled passenger. "I'll see what I can do, sir," she replied.

"Thank you," he said with relief in his voice, before glaring in Remi’s direction.

The flight attendant soon returned with a new seat assignment for the man, and he quickly gathered up his belongings and moved away from the ailing wolf. Remi didn't even seem to notice, as he was too preoccupied with his miserable state, although after a few moments when he finally lifted his head from his arms to desperately scrub at his streaming nose, he couldn’t help but feel relieved to have the space.

As the plane continued on its journey, Remi's condition only seemed to worsen. His sneezes became more frequent and forceful, and his coughs grew deeper and more persistent. He desperately tried to muffle them with tissues or by coughing into his elbow, but it was no use. The other passengers were starting to shoot him dirty looks, clearly annoyed by his constant noise.

But the wolf couldn't help it. He was feeling absolutely dreadful. His head was throbbing, his throat was raw and scratchy, and his whole body felt achy and exhausted. He tried to close his eyes and sleep off the illness for the rest of the flight, but every time he started to doze off, a desperate sneeze or cough would jolt him awake again.

Eventually against his better judgment, when the same flight attendant came around with her cart full of refreshments, he ordered a small mug of hot tea. If Levi had been awake to see the uncharacteristic events unfold, he would never let the stubborn wolf live it down.

The warmth seemed to provide some relief for a few moments before another fit of sneezes tore thorough his raw throat, hitting him hard.

"Hihh’ISSHh! ihH’ktdSHhh!!! iH’tSSH! " The wolf groaned pitifully through each loud sneeze as he blew through yet another tissue.

The passengers around him were growing increasingly agitated at this point, but Remi couldn't bring himself to care. He just wanted this flight to be over so he could go home and crawl into bed.

Remington sighed and slumped back in his seat, completely exhausted. He had used up the last of his tissues and was now resigned to just letting his nose run freely. The wolf glanced over at Levi, still sound asleep despite all of Remi's explosive sneezes.

A fit of harsh coughs suddenly seized Remi's chest. He tried to suppress them but it was no use, a harsh barking cough burst from his lips followed by another and another. He leaned forward, shoulders shaking, as he hacked painfully into his elbow. The wolf curled forward, one hand over his mouth while the other grasped the armrest tightly. The spasm left him gasping for breath, ribs aching. Remi groaned, wiping his watering eyes with the back of his hand before sighing and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the seat. The pounding in his head was relentless and he could feel another round of coughs building in his chest.

The man in the seat across the aisle shot him an irritated glare which the wolf didn't see. He was too focused on trying to catch his breath between coughs.

Finally, the fit eased up, though it left the poor man’s throat feeling like he'd swallowed broken glass. He slumped back in his seat completely spent, wanting nothing more than to be home; not running around the entire state of rural Alaska looking at land to purchase.

Just then, the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom announcing their initial descent. They'd be landing soon.

Remington scrubbed a hand over his face for the millionth time.

‘Almost there,’ he told himself, ‘just a little longer…...’

Beside him, Levi finally stirred, blinking sleepily as he woke, looking around the cabin as if he was trying to figure out where he was. The feline rubbed his tired, icy blue eyes, sitting up as a small yawn escaped his lips, stretching his thin arms over his head.

Taken off guard by the sudden movement from his mate, Remi held his breath, sitting completely still in his seat.

In hindsight, he should have had a better cover planned. The smaller male wasn’t a T-Rex; it’s not like the wolf’s immobilization and silence would make him disappear from Levi’s curious gaze.

"Morning, Acushla, you alright?" Levi asked with a soft tilt of his head, frowning with concern at the sight of his mate. Remington looked absolutely miserable; there was no hiding his exhaustion-laced features or the hue of his cheeks and nostrils.

Still, Remi tried to keep up his badly damaged facade.

The wolf nodded, trying to force one of his trademark smirks but wincing as a string of harsh coughs escaped him, sending another wave of pain through his aching body. He squinted his eyes shut as the sound echoed around the cabin, making the other passengers jump and scowl in his direction in annoyance for the millionth time that day. Quickly glancing around sheepishly, he felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment at his lack of control.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, coughing again, albeit quietly this time, into his fist. "Just allergies or something," he added weakly.

The wolf couldn't imagine how he was going to convince Levi of that when he looked - and sounded - so damn sick. But he had to try.

The feline made a skeptical face, rolling his eyes at his mate’s attempt at deception, but he knew better than to challenge the other’s explanation with so many people around. Offhandedly, the leopard took note of the empty aisle seat next to canine that once had a heavier set businessman sitting in it at the beginning of their flight.

While he didn’t verbally acknowledge it, Levi could easily assume the events that unfolded during his nap.

"We're almost there," Levi said gently, reaching over to ruffle Remi's hair that was clearly drenched in sweat with a reassuring smile spreading over his own tired features. "The hotel I got for us isn’t too far from the Anchorage Airport, anyway. We can spend a few days there before we meet with the realtor~"

The wolf seemed too tired to protest or even do much more than acknowledge Levi's touch, his head lolling against the headrest as the leopard’s fingers carded through the thick, raven colored strands.

As they touched down on the tarmac and the aircraft finally rumbled to a stop, they heard the hydraulic brakes hiss and saw the flashing lights reflecting off of their snow covered surroundings, blinking in sync with their tired hearts. With a deep inhale, Remi forced himself to stand up stiffly, grabbing their bags from the overhead bin while Levi stuffed their various belongings that were strewn about between the seats into his messenger bag. The feline meticulously combed through the space, determined to leave with everything they had brought with them, and once he was satisfied that everything was safely put away, the leopard stood up with a cheerful grin and squeezed past the wolf’s large frame to lead the two off of the plane.

Remi felt like he was wading through mud as he made his way down the aisle, trying to match Levi's quick, excited strides. He couldn't help but think the cool air outside would feel glorious against his flushed skin.

Passengers around them shifted and grunted irritably, avoiding eye contact with the visibly sick canine and the leopard who seemed to be inexplicably oblivious to their plight. Some even went as far as pulling their jackets closer around themselves, noses wrinkled in disgust at the readily apparent sickness that clung to Remington like a second skin.

The buzz of the engines faded into silence under the mix of voices of passengers throughout the cabin, bathing them in relative quiet for a moment before the hiss of the exit door opening filled their ears. Levi took lead, shoulders back and head held high, seemingly oblivious to the dirty looks he received for walking alongside his obviously contagious mate. The whiff of engine fumes mixed with with pine trees and sea salt assailed their senses as they pushed through the crowd, waiting for their chance to disembark.

As they approach the exit of the plane, the two men are gently stopped by the same tired looking flight attendant.

"Here, put this on," the attendant offered kindly, yet firmly as she held out a surgical mask to the wolf, who took it wordlessly, too exhausted to protest, and strapped it over his nose and mouth.

His mate’s silent compliance causes Levi to blink in surprise, although he still kept his thoughts to himself. There was always a time and a place with Remington.

“Thank you, Miss.” The leopard smiled gratefully towards her and she nods with a sympathetic expression before allowing the two to exit.

After what seemed like an eternity to Remi, they were finally able to make their way off of the plane, and they stepped down onto the gangway, the wolf’s heavy feet clanking softly against the metal grating. The sound was muffled by the thick rubber soles of his boots as he stumbled down the portable hallway behind Levi in sort of a fog, feeling every ache and pain in his bones from the long, miserable flight.

As they navigate through the bustling terminal and towards the baggage claim, without warning, Remi's steps start to slow down and he began to lag behind slightly.

Suddenly, a harsh “HI’DTSCHIEW! hh—hEhTXSSHhh’ih!” echoed through the massive airport from behind the feline, startling him.

Levi spun around to see his mate’s hand covering his face, and an unproductive, waterlogged sniffle made the leopard‘s eyebrows knit together immediately, his expression filled with worry.

The smaller man hesitated before placing a hand on Remi's forehead with a frown. “Bless you, my love…” Levi whispered gently, his eyebrows furrowing more intensely. After a moment, he tried again.

“You’re sure you’re feeling okay, Acushla? I heard you sneeze a few times on the plane, too…”

Remi feels like he’s burning up, his skin hot to the touch. Pulling down his mask to expose his face, the wolf gives his mate a weak smile, trying to reassure him.

“—I’b fide, just wadt to get goigg…”

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