Three hours later...
Jiang stirred slowly, blinking into pitch-blackness. His body felt warm, almost too warm. His senses slowly returned as he registered the tight, soft space surrounding him. Where... am I? He squirmed slightly, but all he could feel was the soft fabric pressing around him.
Suddenly, a voice crackled over the intercom, jarring him out of his haze: "Landing in a few minutes, everyone. Please remain seated and prepare for arrival."
Jiang's heart skipped a beat. Landing? How long have I been out?
He tried to move, but the fabric pressed even closer to him. As his vision adjusted, he squinted upwards, catching a faint glimpse of light through the top of what looked like... a sweater? His beady penguin eyes widened as he realized where he was—tucked deep inside Aylin's oversized sweater.
Just as the realization dawned on him, a soft snoring sound echoed above him. He looked up, peeking out of the collar of her sweater, and saw Aylin, completely passed out, her chest gently rising and falling. I guess it makes sense... she's exhausted.
Jiang sighed quietly, trying not to disturb her, but just as he was about to settle back, the plane jolted slightly as it began its descent. Aylin stirred in her sleep, and before Jiang could react, her chest pressed down firmly onto his small penguin face.
"Mmmph!" Jiang let out a muffled squeak as her body squished him, the sound barely escaping his beak. A few passengers nearby turned their heads slightly at the odd noise, but quickly returned to their own distractions.
Aylin jolted awake, blinking sleepily as she sat up straighter. "Oh... you're awake," she whispered, glancing down at him as she adjusted her sweater. "Sorry about that."
Jiang wriggled out slightly from under the sweater, his voice coming out in tiny squeaks as he whispered back. "Wh-what happened? Where are we?"
Aylin stifled a yawn, rubbing her eyes. "Oh, you passed out right after transforming. Thankfully, no one was sitting with us, so no one really noticed. You just kinda... shrank down and blacked out." She grinned, her tone teasing. "I stuffed you in my sweater. Felt a bit weird letting a guy get that close to my chest, but you were warm like a blanket, and I ended up passing out too."
Jiang's face flushed under his feathers. "Y-you just... stuffed me in here?"
Aylin shrugged, giving him a playful look. "Seemed like the best option at the time. Plus, you're not exactly heavy, and it was kind of cozy."
Jiang's face flushed under his feathers. "Y-you just... stuffed me in here?"
Aylin chuckled softly. "I mean, you passed out right after shrinking, and no one was sitting with us. It's not like anyone was going to ask questions. Felt a little weird letting a guy get that close to my chest, but you were warm like a blanket, so I ended up passing out, too."
Jiang groaned softly, burying his face in his flippers. "This is... mortifying..."
Before he could dwell on his embarrassment any further, the intercom crackled again. "Landing in a few minutes, everyone. Please return to your seats and prepare for arrival."
Aylin straightened up, glancing out the window. "We're almost there. You'd better stay put for a little longer."
"Not like I have much choice," Jiang muttered, his voice muffled against her chest as the plane began its descent.
A few minutes later, the plane landed smoothly, and passengers began filing off. Aylin remained seated, waiting until most of the other travelers had left before standing up.
"Okay, time to go," she whispered, adjusting her jacket to make sure Jiang was still well-hidden inside her sweater.
Jiang squeaked in response, doing his best to stay still as Aylin calmly made her way down the aisle, her movements smooth and unhurried. As they passed the flight attendants, she gave them a polite nod, and they returned it without suspicion.
Once they stepped into the terminal, the noise and bustle of the airport hit them full force. Aylin paused for a moment, looking around before pulling out Jiang's phone.
"Where's the exit?" she whispered, squinting at the signs.
Jiang squirmed slightly inside her oversized sweater, his beak poking out just enough to peek at their surroundings. "Head straight, then take a left at the big sign that says 'Baggage Claim.'"
Aylin followed his instructions, weaving through the bustling crowd. As they neared the exit, she spotted a line of luggage carts and glanced down at the rolling suitcase by her side. "You know," she said with a teasing smirk, "why do you even need this? You're a penguin now. Not exactly a fashion statement."
Jiang squeaked in mild frustration. "First of all, I put my laptop in there. And second, when I turn back into a human, I'll need clothes! You left mine under the seat on the plane!"
Aylin stifled a laugh, shaking her head. "Right, because lugging around a laptop with flippers is totally useful."
"It's not for now! It's for when I turn back," Jiang muttered, wriggling a little more inside her sweater. "And I'm not walking around naked in public!"
Aylin's smile widened as she approached the automatic doors leading outside. "Fine, fine. I'll make sure you get something to wear before you traumatize the hotel staff."
The cool breeze hit them as they stepped outside, and Aylin paused, glancing at the cab pickup area. She pulled out Jiang's phone again, opening the ride-hailing app. "Alright, so... you said I just hit this car symbol?"
"Yeah, that's it. It'll call a cab," Jiang explained, his tiny voice still slightly muffled. "And don't forget, we're not far from the hotel. It should only take a few minutes to get there."
Aylin tapped the screen a bit awkwardly but eventually managed to order the cab. "This modern technology is still weird to me," she muttered, slipping the phone back into her jacket pocket.
Jiang chuckled lightly from inside her sweater. "You're handling it fine. Just remember to get my luggage in the trunk."
A few minutes later, the cab arrived, and Aylin opened the door, placing Jiang's luggage in the trunk before sliding into the backseat. The driver gave her a polite nod, then glanced at her sweater, his brow furrowing slightly.
Aylin quickly handed him the phone with the hotel address. "Just here, please," she said, keeping her tone casual.
The driver glanced at the phone, then nodded. "Sure thing."