Chapter Text
Naim fluttered awake as he felt the warmth of the sun setting against his cheek. On the other, the soft ticklish feeling of those blonde locks, Ryan gently snoring against his shoulder. Naim shifted his hips, stretching his limbs as he tried not to disturb the other boy.
Naim glanced down. Ryan looked so beautiful. When the sun hit his hair just right, Naim could count the vast strays of brown scattered throughout his head. When Naim was growing up, his hair was a dirty blonde, just like his mum. It darkened as he got older, but during the cooler seasons, it lightened up a bit once more. Naim felt the corners of his mouth twitch up into a grin. He could find a hundred things to admire about Ryan; He decided to only count a few a day, so he could continue to admire him for as long as possible.
Ryan twitched in his sleep.
A few seconds later, he woke up with a jolt.
In a fleeting instant, before Naim knew how to process what was happening, Ryan shoved him back against the glass window. Naim let out a grunt as the back of his head hit the glass. Naim quickly held out his hand, attempting to stop Ryan from hurting him again. Naim was shaking, wondering if Ryan was in such a state that he’d actually kill him without realizing.
Naim wondered if this was Ryan at all.
The older man driving the bus glanced skeptically through the rearview mirror.
“Boys, stop roughhousing on my bus.”
Ryan suddenly snapped back into reality. He watched Naim coddle his head between both hands, hissing in pain.
“I’m so sorry, baby", Ryan muttered.
Naim slowed his breathing, attempting to calm himself down. Ryan would never want to admit it, but Naim was always better at emotional regulation than him. There was a reason Ryan always came out more battered after his encounters with Entity Naim. Ryan was a lover at heart, but he knew the world was unforgiving. He tried so desperately to seem tough, but Naim could see right through him.
The only time Naim has ever reacted impulsively was when he caught Ryan with Hunter.
“It’s okay, Ryan. It’s me.”
Ryan quickly embraced Naim in a tight hug, whispering small reassurances in his ear.
They stayed like that for a moment, until Ryan pulled back. He wiped the tears from his cheeks with his sleeve.
Naim always noticed Ryan's nose got a bit puffier and rosier whenever he was upset. Naim smiled. He pulled his sleeves up and helped Ryan wipe the rest of his tears away.
Once the sun had fully set, they both stepped off the bus together.
Ryan asked if they could do it hand in hand. And so, they did.