Archive of Our Own

Stell felt soft hands going to and fro his arm, shaking him gently. Frowning, he swat the hand and turned his back on the man waking him up.

Sejun crinkled his forehead, not sure what to do with this stranger whose name he just learned 9 hours ago.

"Suit yourself." Sejun mumbled silently, hatching a plan how he would retrieve his backpack from the overhead compartment. He looked briefly at the man beside him, body turned back on him giving him a view of his broad shoulders and back. It's supposed to make him feel things until he saw the strawberry printed neck pillow he's using.

Sejun smirked, he should try one more time, right? Lest he wants this man to miss his destination.

He shook Stell one more time and thought, maybe this is not the proper way to wake this man up. He smiled to himself. 'Ok, let's try this.' he thought.

Sejun lifted the neck pillow slowly, Stell moved slightly, but immediately went back to his original position, body turned back on Sejun, his head leaning on the headrest, his neck craned into an uncomfortable position now that Sejun removed the neck pillow supporting him.

Sejun's eyes fixed on the stranger's neck, long and wide. His nape covered with baby hair and Sejun found himself wanting to run his fingers through it. He lifted his hand and hovered it on top of Stell's nape. He held himself back, 'Wait tama ba tong ginagawa ko? Kung sapakin ako nito pag nagising?'

Sejun puts his hand down and stared intently in the uncomfortably positioned body next to him. He realized the armrest separating them is lifted up.

It was on the 5th hour at the bus when Stell touched his arm, lifted it up and asked if he can put the arm rest up. That was the first time Sejun felt his chest tighten. Five hours chatting with this stranger and he's suddenly so nervous. He nodded. When there was nothing in between them, their shoulders touched and Sejun felt the electricity run down his body like a sudden shockwave. Stell flinched too, feeling the same thing, but he controlled it so expertly by smiling and talking rapidly again.

The night bus suddenly went pitch black, the driver allowing the passengers to sleep. Stell fell silent, feeling the awkward position he's in. He wants to talk to the stranger beside him more, but the situation is not allowing him to. 

Sejun felt disappointed when the man beside him stopped talking instantly. He looked at him cautiously and caught him blinking, his long dark lashes fluttering. He run his hand on his fringe at the front, shaking it lightly. Sejun was caught off guard when Stell bit his lower lip, pink lips suddenly turning white as his teeth sank into them. He did it so painstakingly slow, that Sejun felt his breathing suddenly coordinated with the time it took to bite his lip.

Stell suddenly turned his head, looked at Sejun's direction, smiled and whispered, "Nap muna tayo, baka magalit ibang pasahero pag dumaldal ako." Sejun laughed silently at Stell's candidness and nodded his head. "Okay." He said quietly following it up with an OK sign with his hand.

Sejun reclined his chair a bit, making sure not to disturb the passenger behind him. Stell pulled something from his backpack, a strawberry printed neck pillow and placed it over his nape. Sejun can't stand the cuteness so he closed his eyes as he hear Stell got a bit closer to his ear whispering, "Night."

Sejun's arm hair stood up from the vibration Stell's voice left on his ear as he whispered goodnight back.

Sejun and Stell are well aware that their fingertips are almost touching, the tips of their pinkies barely separated by an invisible paper line. Sejun knew that once he lifts his pinky just a bit, it will touch Stell's. He wonders how it would feel, curiosity getting the best of him. But even before he can even make a move, he felt a finger caress his pinky slowly.

He kept his stare infront of him while moving his own finger, meeting Stell's whose eyes are shut. Sejun wondered if the man beside him is doing it deliberately, or if it was just impulses. But then Stell caught two fingers, then three. In an instant Sejun's whole hand is covered with Stell's. Sejun smiled. One by one he laced each finger, their hands in a tight hug. Each of them not showing any sign or recognition that an invisible force is working its way to bring them closer together.

The two men stayed like that for an hour. Stell's hand eventually loosen and Sejun knew that the man beside him is fast asleep. He closed his own eyes and tried to rest himself aswell.

Three hours later, Sejun woke up when the bus suddenly stopped to drop off passengers. They are nearing their destination. He looked at Stell who is fast asleep and no sign of waking up. That's when he realized that it's up to him to bring Stell back to consciousness. And he was barely trying. But the bus is getting closer and closer that he has no time to spare.

Sejun hesitated for a bit, is he really going to do this? Suddenly they pass by the arch of the town they are supposed to get off to. He knows this is where Stell is supposed to get off too based on their conversation earlier.

Sejun slowly lean forward, eyeing Stell's nape and shoulder. 'Here goes nothing', he thought. When all of a sudden, Stell turned around, eyes half-lidded, mouth agape. There was no way to control it. Their lips crashed into each other. Stell's eyes flew open, Sejun staring at him blinking. They both pulled back quicpkly. Cheeks blushing. They faced forward as if nothing just happened.

Sejun broke the silence, he's a bit stressed out that they have to get off the bus soon. But a bit relieved that they are getting off together. "Malapit na pala tayo. I was trying to wake you up since the last town pero di kita magising."

"Pasensya na mahirap talaga kong gisingin." Stell uttered still not looking at the man beside him. 

The bus came into full stop. The people around them stirred and started to get up. Sejun quickly pulled his bag from the overhead. "Alin dito sayo, Stell?" he asked.

"Ay thanks, yung blue na bag." Stell said shyly.

Sejun passed the bag to him, blocked the passengers behind him so Stell can pass by. Stell smiled at Sejun as he walk along the isle.

Once off the bus, they both wondered if they should wait. They are facing each other not knowing what to say. 

"So, 9-hour love affair over?" Stell joked, looking straight into Sejun's eyes.

Sejun felt sad. He knew it was a joke but he felt a sudden pinch in his heart. "How about no? Stell, san ka mag stay?"

Stell smiled, the widest and most beautiful since they met 9 hours ago. "Bakit? Ididitch mo booking mo to stay where I'm staying?"

Their eyes still on each other. It's obvious, the magic taking place in between them right at this moment.

Sejun walked closer to Stell. Touching his hand, then clasping it. "I'll go wherever you will go."

They shared anothed electrifying stare and started walking together in the cobbled streets, hand in hand.