Jas's grin only grew more as Damion explained how they appeared to everyone else. While he didn't like the fact that his every move outside his home was tracked, he did find it amusing that he isn't the only one who saw Connor and his relationship entertaining. "Really? How interesting. Now everytime I do anything remotely affectionate, this little bird turns as red as a cardinal." He teased, stretching out on his back, head resting in Connor's offered lap. He reached up and gently stroked Connor's cheek. "I still get those glared and pointed looks but it's not so much out of disappointment anymore, or at least I hope." His smile softened as he yawned and curled up beside Connor. He decided Damien was safe enough to let his ears show in his presence. Jas gently squeezed Connor's hand "wake me when we get to the airport." He murmured, closing his eyes and quickly faking back into a peaceful nap
Connor slapped his chest. "I do not get red!" He protested. He let his angry look turn into a soft one as Jas fell asleep in his lap. "Of course," he whispered, kissing his forehead before stroking his hair and staring out the window. He ran over his ears by accident a couple of times and apologized softly.
"I'm glad to see you happy Connor." Connor looked up to the front. "You never seem happy even when saving lived you have such a blank expression, but when you see Jas you light up like a Christmas tree."
"Do I? I guess you might be right about that one." he kept his voice soft so Jas wouldn't wake up.
"Also, who is the person you want me to meet?"
"He's just a friend of Jas's. He found you cute and you both cook so I thought you guys would hit it off you know? I know how much you love cooking. He has a smaller frame than you, but he has a bit of a temper and a mind of his own. I know you like guys like that."
Damion blushed and huffed. "I do not. We're arriving at the airport soon so you should probably wake up Jas now. I just have to park."
"Hey kitty, he whispered. Time to wake up. I know it was only an hour and a half, but once we get through this we can sleep again on the plain okay?"
Jas' purring fluctuated as Connor pet different parts of his head but it always was a constant. He could literally sleep anywhere if he had Connor beside him.
He eventually awoke, his purring turning into a meow of protest as he sat up and ran a hand through his fluffy hair. He hummed and incoherent response and rubbed his eyes, looking out the window at the airport. "I've actually never flown in a plane before…" He admitted, catching a glimpse of one already taking off behind the airport building. Once the car stopped, Jas tiredly got out of the car and grabbed his duffle bag out if the trunk of the car. "How long is the flight?" He asked with a tilt of his head
"Bye Damion and thanks for the ride. you're the best." He got out of the car closing the door. He took his suitcases out of the trunk and waved to Damion to let him know that they were done. "The flight is 4 hours long. Considering we live in California. You'll be a fine kitty. Let's just get through baggage check." Connor would've held Jas's hand but he was rolling two suitcases, so instead, he gave Jas a soft kiss on the lips before continuing to walk. The baggage and security check didn't take too long. "Do you want to get anything to eat before we head on the plane?"
Jas gave a small wave to Damion and watched as the car pulled out of the airport parking lot. "Wonderful, 4 hours to peacefully sleep and cuddle with my favorite person all to myself." He smiled softly and gently leaned into the kiss. He followed Connor throughout the airport, his ears remaining out and teeth staying sharp the moment they entered the building. He stuck close to Connor as they walked through the lines and baggage claims, self conscious but managing the best he could. He glanced down at Connor and nodded slightly. "Yeah, but are you sure they'll let us take the food On the plane?" He asked, already glancing over to a cafe
"No, but we sometimes have before we the gates open for people to go in. So if you want something, now is your time to get it. I will put our bags by the seat and stay by them. If you see anything I might like, just get it for me, and I will pay you back later. Actually, can you get me black coffee if they have it? I need to do some work o the plane." He took Jas's bag and brought it to one of the seats, and sat by the bags.
Jas was practically bouncing in place. He was still of course tired but now he was more worried about getting food to eat than sleeping. He watched Connor find some seats in the waiting area before dashing off to the airport cafe and getting in line. Once it was his turn, Jas took a deep breath and listed off the items he wanted to buy. A mocha latte for himself in the biggest size he could get along with a cinnamon roll and some sugar cookies. For Connor he ordered a large black coffee as well as a chocolate chip muffin and a slice of carrot cake. Once the order was placed, jas payed and stepped aside to wait for his food and drinks. He glanced around the airport, both excited and exhausted at the same time. He had never been inside one before, much less flown in plane. He ordered his own way if transportation, though it did limit him sometimes when he didn't have a clear vision of where to go. Now he's be able to teleport to Florida anytime he wanted. He glanced up as his name was called and gratefully took his order from the side counter. He found Connor bt their plane gate and settled beside him, passing him his drink and bag of goodies. "Will this keep you awake the entire plane ride?" He asked with a teasing grin, curling up next to Connor and plopping his head in his shoulder, happily sipping at his mocha latte. "We should vacation more often." He missed, wondering what other places he could get to by plane.
Connor happily took the coffee and food. "Should we? Well, if you really want to then we can. I don't mind escaping with you again." He kissed Jas's temple tiredly as he started to eat the muffin first. He pulled on his glass and took out his computer and started to work on some file reports. Soon enough they called for people to board the plane. He had finished his coffee and even had the time to go to the bathroom before. Connor ate the Muffin and cake-like there was no tomorrow. He was hungry and tired and wanted to go to sleep, but the reports came first. He closed his laptop and put it in his bag before getting in line. "Did you finish everything Jas, you can't take it on the plane if you didn't."
Jas purred softly at the kiss, nodding his head as he sleepily watched Connor work. His ears flicked up at the announcement and stretched himself out before standing and grabbing his dufflebag. He finished off his cinnamon roll, throwing it away in a nearby trash can. "Yep! All done." He gave a soft smile and pressed a kiss to Connor's temple. "We'll sleep soon sweetheart, don't worry." He cooed, following Connor to the line. "When will I have to change forms?" He asked softly as they moved forwards in the line.
"Thank you, and you would have to change now." Connor gave the girl their boarding passes. He took Jas's bag because a cat couldn't carry it. "Whenever you're ready, Jas, I don't want to be holding up the line." He placed the handle of the duffle bag around the suitcase, so he would have to roll it onto the plane. Connor fixed his hair and rubbed his eyes tiredly. The coffee wasn't kicking in yet, but he desperately needed it too.
Jas nodded, pressing a kiss to Connor's cheek before letting him have the bag and shifting into his cat form. He quickly hopped up on the luggage bags and then to Connor's shoulder to avoid being trampled by the people behind them. He purred softly and settled down, head moving back and forth as he watched their surroundings, suddenly growing nervous as they entered the boarding tunnel. While half cat, has wasn't too fond of tight spaces, especially with so many people around them. He meowed softly and wrapped his tail around Connor's neck.
Connor felt his wings pop out and closed them in tightly, not to inconvenience other people. He walked to the first-class seat and put their bag in the overhead compartments. "Jas, you love to have your tale wrapped around me, don't you." He put his backpack under the seat and waited. He couldn't take out his laptop until the plane was fully in the air which he found stupid so he looked out the window and got situated. Jake was on the same flight as him and sat in the empty chair next to Connor.
"Hey, Connor. And Jas." He smiled looking at Jas reaching to pet him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jake stopped and put his hand in his lap.
"Right because he still hates me." He reminded himself.
Jas gave a trilling pur before slowly relaxing and sniffing around. He glanced up and tilted his head as Jake settled down in the seat beside Connor. He had momentarily forgotten Jake was coming with then. He meowed in greetings, ears flattening against his head as he readied to be pet. Opening his eyes when he didn't feel anything for a few seconds, he flicked his tail and rolled his eyes. Yes he had hated Jake when they had first met but that was more out of jelousy than anything else. Other than being competition for Connor's love, Jake was someone Jas would normally consider a genuinely ok ntereering person to be around. After the talk they had a few months ago, Jas genuinely felt that he could trust Jake. He flicked his tail and gebtly swatted at Jake's arm to get his attention
Jake looked over and tilted his head. He paused for a moment and then started to pet Jas.
"Why didn't you tell me that you liked him. Every time I talked about him you always seemed annoyed. Since he seems to like it feel free to pet him as much as you want. You should really tell me these things you know, last time he tried to touch you almost bit his hand off." Once the plane started moving he buckled his seat belt and waited for it to fly off the runway. "Jake I might need your help with some reports later. Some things that were witnessed don't really make sense and I was wondering if you knew anything about it."
"Yeah, sure no problem!' He gladly agreed and scratched under Jas's neck before stoppping.
Jas purred softly as Jake petted him, arching his back slightly. He huffed softly and teasingly nuzzled Connor's ear, emmiting a deeper pur. Jealous darling creature? You know I love your pets the most. He felt guilty for not telling Connor about talking to Jake before, especially since it was about him. Jas had justified that little chat with the thought that it was to secure Connor's safety if something were to ever happen to him. Knowing that Jake was on this mission with them put Jas' concerns somewhat at ease. He hopped down from Connor's neck and settled beside him, careful to avoid the computer as he curled in on himself to sleep
Connor shook his head with a scoff. "You naughty little kitty, you know not to tease my ear like that." He kissed Jas's back, watching him go to sleep. "Such a cutie, and for what?" He shook his head and started on his work. He asked Jake for help on something the entire flight and then worked it out himself. He was careful not to lean back so much, so his wings wouldn't be crushed by the seats. "Hey, Jas…we're here; time to wake up…" He whispered, kissing his forehead lightly. His stuff was away, and he was ready to leave once Jas woke up.
Jas mewled in protest it reluctantly uncurled himself and stretched his back, satisfyingly yawning before shaking himself out and jumping up onto Connor's shoulders. He settled down and nuzzled his cheek. He sniffed around, already pricing a significant difference from their home town to here. Once they got out of the boarding tunnel, has hopped down and shifted back to normal. He pulled his bag over his shoulder and lacing his hand Connor's hand together. "So is the hotel close to here?" He asked, ears flicking around curiously
"No, the hotel is about a half an hour drive from where we are." He watched Ja's ears flick, and all he wanted to do was touch them. "You're ears make you look so cute." He gave Jas a nice long head rub. "Let's go find that car I rented." He held up the car keys and started to walk towards the parking lot. "I don't mind driving, and it's not like I'm tired anyway." Connor pushed up his glasses, leading the two of them towards the car.
Jas nearly melted into Connor's hand, barely standing upright as he gave into the pets and head scratches. He pressed a quick kiss to Connor'a hand before he pulled away and nodded. "That's not too bad. Is it close to where your mission is?" he asked as he looked around at the streets surrounding them, fascinated by the shops and street vendors. While he was used to the city, it always surprised him how other people lived in such a similar environment. He stuck close to Connor, trusting him to know the way around the city instead of his own instincts and want to get lost among the buildings and people. Multiple times he found himself wanting to shift and go off to explore around.
"That is information I cannot tell you, Jas." After a few minutes, he found the by unlocking the door. The lights and sound made the car stand apart from the others. A black Jeep Wrangler handed enough space in the trunk to all their luggage. He put his suitcases into the trunk and walked around to the driver's side. "Jas, sit in the front, and Jake, you sit in the back." He instructed.
Jake glared at Connor, mocking him under his breath. "Why do I have to sit in the back? This is just so unfair. We'll see who has to sit in the back. He is always so bossy. I can't stand him sometimes." He silently ranted.
"I heard that! Sit in the back, Jake! Unless you want me to pound your face in!" He yelled from the driver's seat. He rolled down the window to feel the tropical, warm air. He took out his sunglasses and put them on, fixing his hair in the rear-view mirror.
Jas rolled his eyes, "right, I forgot about the secrecy and stuff." He muttered, putting his stuff in the back of the car. He threw Jake an apologetic look, a slight smile crossing his features. It was a comfort to him to know that Connor wasn't pissed at only him all the time. "You'll have the front seat all to yourself soon." He reassured Jake, sliding into the front seat and pulling on the seatbelt. He too rolled down the window and watched as the scenery flew by them. He tested his head on his hand, trying to catch any landmarks he could see sonthatvhe could go there once Connor left for his mission and after Jas knew he was safe. He reached over and gently took Connor's free hand in his, lacing them together, more for his own reassurance than anything else. He trusted Connor. But he trusted his own instincts above all else, especially when it came to keeping the few people he loved safe
Connor looked down at his hand and smiled. He bent over and kissed him on the lips before putting the car into drive. Connor let the GPS show him to where the hotel was. Whenever he reached a stop sign, Connor would look out the window and sighed. He then drove on when the light turned green. "I was born here, you know. It was like a celebration every day where we lived. Maybe because I was a golden child, but even so, it was beautiful. I could show you around Jas if I have the time." They reached the hotel sooner than expected. He gave the keys to the valet who would bring in the car. "You can leave your bags. They will bring them up to the rooms later. The smell of Florida is something I will always miss. Ready, you two?"
Jas hummed softly at the kiss, giving a gentle squeeze to Connoe's hand. Despite the mission and Jas' ever growing worry for Connor's safety, Jas was genuinely happy to be here with Connor. He turned to him and tilted his head curiously. "No, I didn't know that. Why did you ever leave? It seems like a beautiful place to live." He asked, eyes widening as they passed a roman style building. "I would love that, my heart." He replied, turning his attention to a neighboring building, also in a whitish marble but less busy with decoration, choosing to focus on the simplicity. Once they parked, jas got out of the car and stretched, having spent too long sitting both in the plane and the car ride. "Fancy, huh?" Jas watched as the valet take the car and simultaneously their things in the car, to an unseen parking space. He bobbed his head and clasped his hands behind his head. "Ready."
"Only the best for the top hero I supposed. Let's get checked in first and then I can tell you about it after." He nodded to the people who opened the door for him in thanks. He checked in to get enough key cards for the three of them. "You don't have to worry Jake is in a separate room, but please knock before you come in. You have a habit of not knocking." He pressed the button for the elevator and pressed the correct floor. "Is there anywhere you want to go before I'm bust with work and all of that?" He asked, tugging Jas into the elvator with him. Jake followed suit and walked in as well.
"says the one who walked in on me taking a shower." Jas teased, following Connor into the elevator. "But I'll knock or call beforehand." He promised, glancing around the fancy elevator in awe. He tilted his head curiously and shrugged, "anywhere, everywhere. I want to see it all." He said with an excited smile. "What do you recommend?" he asked, looking between Jake and Connor. In past lives, he had been more interested in traveling the world than other states, so this was a new thing to Jas.
"That-that was an accident. I was too tired, and besides that, it was completely different. I wasn't talking to you, though, kitty I was talking to Jake. You can walk in anytime you like since we are in the same room. I didn't make a reservation since it was too short notice." The elevator made a noise before the doors opened. He walked out and turned the corner. "The room on the end of the hall is ours, Jas. The room across from that is yours, Jake." He pointed. "Well, this hotel is pretty big so that we could explore that first, and then we could go visit where I used to live. Maybe go to a beach. Maybe we could even go to Disney, but that's more of a full-day trip. We are in Orlando so it shouldn't be too far you know? If everything goes according to plan, we should be able to go on our last day."
Jas gave a slight nod, arching an eyebrow at Jake. He breathed a control sigh, not wanting to ruin the vacation early by arguing about Connor's privacy, especially since Connor seemed to have the need to remind Jake of it. He followed Connor out of the elevator, nodding as Connor pointed out their rooms. "Whichever one you like, dear. I'd love to see where you grew up. And Disney sounds fun, though you're right, that does sound like for another here you aren't as busy." He nodded his head towards their rooms. "We could just stay around here until your mission. Then we can take tomorrow as a fun day to relax and enjoy our time here."
Connor put in the chip to open the door and opened the door. "Jake, when's our mission?" He asked.
"Shouldn't you know this?" He asked, opening his one door and standing in the frame. "It's tomorrow at night, so if you guys want to go anywhere, you can, but we have to be dressed and ready by eight, okay? No later. Yes, you will have to wear a dress and since your hair isn't long anymore you need a wig. If you didn't bring one I have an extra."
"Thanks!" He walked into the room, taking in the fresh air.
"So irresponsible." Jake scoffed.
"I heard that!" Connor yelled before Jake shut his door. "So we have some time tomorrow besides going to see where I used to live anywhere else. I heard they have a pretty nice bar here that we could visit, maybe go in the pool and have some margaritas. I haven't had one in a while. If everything goes as planned and I don't come in a bleeding mess, we could always relax here for a bit. What do you think?"
Jas gave a laugh at the two hero's interaction before following Connor into their room. He gazed around the room, taking in the suite and The large bed in the middle facing a balcony overlooking the Florida city skyline. He looked into he corner to find their bags and suitcases already there. A soft smile settled on Jas' features as he gently pulled Connor into an embrace and tugged him to the bed. "That sounds great love, I could definitely go for a drink and a swim for a few hours, especially since I'll probably be worrying about you all day." He pressed a kiss to Connor's brow, a sharp sigh leaving him. "Promiss me you'll come.back here, come back to me safe. Without injury. Please." He murmured, lips pressed against Connor's brow.
Connor gave an apologetic smile. "You know that is the one thing I can't promise. I might be a hero with powers, but I'm not invisible. Not even you." He leaned forward enough so that they both fell on the bed. "But for now, what I can promise is that we can rest. I can kiss you till the sun goes down." He flopped next to Jas, caressing his cheek. "I'm sorry, kitty, but don't focus on that too much, alright. Let's have fun tomorrow, okay? Maybe some of today. We could hang out by the pool if you're up for it. If you're too tired, then we can stay here, take a nap, and swim at night."
