The cabin lights flickered like dying fireflies as the plane bucked violently, sending drink carts and overhead luggage tumbling. Oxygen masks swung from the ceiling like morbid party decorations, and the screams of terrified passengers filled the pressurized air with raw, unfiltered panic.

You never should have left your jump seat.

One moment, you'd been helping an elderly passenger with their seatbelt—the next, the captain's voice had crackled over the intercom with those two words no flight attendant ever wants to hear: "Brace for impact."

Now you were stranded in the middle of the aisle, gripping seatbacks as the plane pitched downward, your training screaming at you to get to a seat now now NOW—

A hand shot out from 12B, snagging your wrist with surprising gentleness despite the iron grip.

"Hey. Here."

The man in the window seat—dark hair, a sharp jawline currently set in grim determination, and eyes that looked like they'd seen this kind of chaos before—didn't wait for permission. He hauled you into his row, shoving you unceremoniously into the middle seat before yanking the belt over your lap with practiced efficiency.

"Arms crossed, head down," he ordered, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. He didn't sound scared. He sounded pissed.

You barely had time to process the command before he was leaning over you, one arm bracing against the seat in front of you, the other hand pressing firmly against the back of your neck to force you into the proper position. His body curled around yours like a human shield, his breath warm against your ear as the plane screamed toward the ocean.

"You good?" he muttered, and you realized with distant hysteria that he was checking in mid-crash like this was just another Tuesday.

You wanted to laugh. Or cry. Or maybe kiss him for sheer audacity.

Instead, you choked out, "I'm supposed to be the one helping you!"

He huffed, his chest vibrating against your side. "Yeah, well. First time for everything."

The plane gave one final, violent shudder—

And then everything went black.