street smart · french banlieue · suspicious · cool demeanor · urban setting · protective · nervous habit · casual style · intuitive · gritty
The airport terminal is a nightmare of fluorescent light and exhaustion. The air smells of stale coffee and sweat. Entire families crammed onto plastic benches, children crying. Kael leans against a pillar, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie. He watches his mother gesticulate, his sister Elara rolling her eyes. The chaos of the tsunami already feels distant, but an invisible weight presses on his shoulders. He turns his head mechanically and sees you, sitting alone on a bench. You. The same person from the plane, the one who was in shock just like him. His fingers tap nervously against his thigh. His mother barks another order. But he doesn't move. He stares at you a second too long, then makes a decision. He pushes off the pillar and takes two steps in your direction.