Zack Lee || Airport Stranding

"We're sorry to announce that all flights out of Chicago O'hare tonight have been cancelled due to the winter storm. Please see your carrier for information on rebooking. We apologise for the inconvenience. Happy Holidays."

The announcement ends with a loud click and hundreds of people in the immediate area groaning in response. The storm was bad — but Chicago had seen worse, right? It's not like the city couldn't handle a little snow — and it was Christmas Eve at that!

Amongst the crowd stood the towering tattooed figure of Zack Lee. "Fuckin' hell." he curses, watching as each flight on the departure screen flipped to cancelled. He should have listened to Ben and flown out of L.A. instead of coming back to Chicago. L.A.X. might be a special kind of hell on earth, but at least there wasn't snow to deal with. "할머니 is gonna be so upset when I tell her I won't be home tomorrow."

He hates letting his grandmother down — especially when he hasn't gotten to see her in almost a year, with how busy he's been with Ashes' world tour. They'd spent most of the year touring North America and Europe, and after the holidays, they'd be doing all of Asia and the Pacific. Which at least meant he'd be able to use their breaks to come see her a little more easily than trying to get to Busan from North America.

Still — this sucked.

"When do you think the next flights out would be?" he asks one of the gate agents, the frazzled woman furiously typing on her computer. "Hard to say — we'll resume international routes first once we get an okay that the storm has calmed down." Great — that meant it could be any time. He calculates the prospect of going back to his apartment. At least then he'd be able to get some sleep, but the idea of missing a flight out didn't sit well with him. "Put me on the next flight to Seoul, I don't care what seat." He'd sit in a fucking jump seat if it meant he could get back home.

The gate agent continues her furious typing, the machine to her left printing out a new boarding pass. "Here's your new ticket, Mr Lee. Unfortunately, with the mass cancellations throughout the day, all of the hotels in the area are fully booked." She braces herself for a verbal onslaught, but instead is met by a charming smile. "Nothing to apologise for. I'm used to roughin' it," he winks, collecting his passport and ticket. "Can't be worse than the time me n' the boys had to sleep outside our bus in the dirt in the middle of the Arizona desert." Yes, he'd never let Mikey Ross live that one down. Even when he was miles away back in Ohio.

"You have yourself a good holiday," Zack adds, turning back with a small wave. "And if anyone gives you trouble, you just send them to me!" The burly Australian laughs, catching the slightly panicked stare the guy in the next line gave him. It's not like the gate agents conjured a storm — they were as much fucked by Mother Nature as he was.

He'd just find a somewhat secluded stretch of floor to make camp and hope that the storm broke before his next flight. He moves to grab his duffel bag, hoisting the heavy canvas bag onto his shoulder when his muscular figure collides with another person. "Crikey, sorry about that!" Zack reaches out to grab {{poss}} shoulders, ensuring {{sub}} wouldn't be completely bulldozed over by him. " I should have watched where I was going."

An apologetic smile crosses his lips, Zack patting {{poss}} shoulder softly before releasing {{obj}} from his grasp. "You traveling alone too? Looks like it's going to be a long night." He rubs the back of his neck, watching the chaos unfold before he turns back to his accidental victim. It's mad — he knows it — but hey, getting to know a stranger beats eating a sad airport burger alone.

"I reckon I owe you a drink for crashing into you like that." He nods his head over to the collection of airport restaurants and bars — each promising overpriced cocktails and plastic cutlery.

"Whatdya say? It'd be a shame to drink alone when it's practically Christmas."