[b][center][h2]Joel Nicolosi[/h2][/center][/b] Joel strolled up the jetway casually with his bag slung over shoulder much the same way as when he’d left though without the headphones. Along the trip he’d so worn out his peculiar playlist that for a while, he felt like just listening to the sounds of the world around him instead of hellraising metalcore or old episodes of Coast to Coast AM. He wasn’t feeling too badly jetlagged from being able to stretch out and rest in first class, but luxurious as it was, he was glad to get off the plane. Being away for more than two weeks had started to wear on him some and he hated living out of a suitcase. The return trip to Sol City had been more about finality than the anticipation he felt before when he flew out for Japan. He glanced around briefly observing how everything just carried on the exact same way day after day at the airport. The newsstands, the shoe shiners, the coffee shops all looked basically the same as when he’d left them. [i]How dull[/i]. He thought and was glad that he never lived a life of such strict routines. In his free hand he carried a small, gift-wrapped box and as he made his way to the baggage claim, he dropped it off at the Daedalus Airlines main office. As he handed the package over the reception counter, he wondered briefly, as he had before when he found it, if he should have bought it in the first place and he chastised himself a bit for being a softy. Still, he said he would buy it and once offered, his word was about as flexible as a steal beam. Since Marlin liked rotting her teeth on sweets so much, he even tossed in a bag of freshly made Hakuto Mochi as a bonus. He knew Siobhan would give him endless shit if she found out, though the redhead would later find she had quite a few items waiting on her back at the shop that cost significantly more than a plush toy and some Japanese candy. The weather in Japan hadn’t been much different than Sol unfortunately and as he walked out to the parking garage, Joel was glad there was an apparent warm front settling across the city for a time. He mused about another vacation to tropical climates and immediately thought about the myriad of media bullshit that was probably waiting on him when he got back to Southside. Wearing a new Motul-Autech baseball cap and sunglasses along with his standard Apex Designs hoodie and shorts, he was glad no one had recognized him. In escaping quickly off to Tokyo shortly after the Grand Prix, he’d essentially skipped out on trying to keep up with most of the media circus. [i]Yea, another vacation would definitely be needed[/i]. He grinned at the thought as he approached his Jeep Wrangler, pulled the battery key from his pocket and popped the hood. Japan had been wildly successful for him and he accomplished all his “business objectives” plus a few more. In a few days his most sought after prize would be arriving at the Old Cargo airport and he would have to be out there to greet it. His grin became a wild smile as his hand replaced the key and he shut the hood to the simple smell of basic, conventional motor oil that ever so slowly leaked from the old Chrysler 4.0 valve cover. Driving down 23 the city’s skyscrapers and evening lights came into view behind the tree-lined interstate. The Jeep's big tires roared over the payment as their aggressive off-road tread found nothing but flat asphalt and the occasional pothole. Still without the radio on and only the droning sound of the rubber against the road, he thought more about what was waiting for him: Siobhan and her Corvette, Marlin and her drama, his mom and dad. He wondered what Tommy and the rest of the crew had been up to since he’d been gone. He’d only spoken to a few them sparingly from overseas. The hard pill to swallow was always the same: No matter how much he went out of his way to enjoy his solitude, he still wound up feeling bored and alone. He grumbled more to himself. He was glad to be home. Knowing that he essentially left nothing substantial in his pantry before flying out, he was going to have to stop for a few groceries and at least some form of dinner, though he felt nothing like sitting down somewhere. Just a couple protein bars would do it until morning for now.