Info - fluff, small injury, a little anxiety, Timothée pov
I sighed heavily as I loaded my luggage on the bus. I was not looking forward to this cramped journey. I’d met up with some of my French friends in Canada, as they said this was the closest to America they were willing to get. I’d decided to take a bus back to New York. I really didn’t want to be driving with all the thunderstorms lately. It freaked me out. But so did this. I felt rather like a sardine.
“Is this row J seat two?” Asked a small voice. I turned to see a very pretty girl. She looked like she was trying her best to be confident, but was a bit frightened.
“Oh, um, yes, guess you’re beside me,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile. She nodded resolutely. She was attempting to lift her bag into the overhead compartment. The poor thing wasn’t nearly tall enough.
“Would you like some help?” I asked her gently.
“Oh are you sure?” She asked, but I could see the pleading in her expression.
“It’s no problem,” I shrugged. I grabbed the bag and slung it up beside mine. I gave her a smile.
“Thank you so much,” she said earnestly.
“Oh don’t even worry about it,” I brushed it off.
We settled in our seats. I noticed her hands making nervous movements. She touched the pad of her thumb to each other finger over and over as if playing some sort of odd instrument.
“You okay?” I finally asked.
“Just a bit nervous,” she explained.
“Why?”
“Well I’ve never taken a bus before. I live in the states and I have family in Canada. Usually, my family all drives up and down together. I wanted to stay longer this year so I booked a bus ticket back but…..”
“But?”
“Well I’m accident prone in the oddest ways. I’m sure something weird will happen on this trip, or I’ll miss a switch, or get sick, or something,” she said awkwardly.
“Well if I can be of any help let me know. I’m going back to New York, so I should be with you most of the way,” I offered.
“Oh thank you, that actually does make me feel better,” she said sheepishly.
“I’m Timothée by the way,” I told her.
“Y/n,” she smiled. I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks. She was very cute.
As the trip started, I noticed her eyes darting about through the window. She was closer to it than I was. I was so curious about what she was doing.
“What are you doing?”
“Huh?” She asked, not taking her eyes away from the window.
“You’re so focused on the road but you aren’t driving,” I said, trying to sound joking and not rude.
“Oh, I’m playing the alphabet game. Where you try to find every letter of the alphabet on signs and license plates. Usually you play against someone else, but I always make it challenge for myself. I’m already on Q.”
“I’ll play you,” I offered casually. Finally, her gaze whipped away from the road. She looked at me with such sweet hope I could’ve melted.
“Really?” She asked in near disbelief.
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “If we can start over that is.”
“No one ever wants to play with me,” she said with excitement. “Okay, one, two, three, go!”
“Z! I win again,” she crowed. One game had turned into three. She’d won every time. I hadn’t let her, but her cheering when she did was adorable.
“Alright, I’ll let you get to whatever you brought to occupy yourself with. I don’t mean to take up all your time with games,” she chuckled.
“No, I was having fun,” I told her honestly. “Do you have any more games?”
“Are you serious?” She asked with large eyes.
“Yes…”
“I’ve got loads!” She chuckled. “Let’s play the ranking game.”
She got a pen and notebook from her carry on. She made a list of 1 to 10. She explained to me that 1 meant the hottest and 10 the least hot. She told me she’d give celebrities and I had to put them at a place on the list without knowing who was coming next.
“Florence Pugh at five!” She exclaimed half way through the game.
“I know I know,” I groaned. “I’ve royally fucked this list up.”
“I mean come on Timothée,” she teased.
“Well all I had left were slots 10,5, and 1, and I wanted to save slots 1 and 10,” I tried to explain.
“Yeah, but in no world is Florence Pugh a five, you should have just put her at one for safety reasons,” she said knowledgeably.
“Alright, alright, next person please,” I asked.
“Selma Hayek,” she gave me next.
“Ten,” I said tentatively.
“She’s a total MILF,” y/n said, tossing a piece of Candy i’d offered her at me.
“I made my choice, which leaves my one up to fate,” I lifted my hands.
“Or up to the game master,” she said with a smirk.
“Hmmmmm,” she looked at the secret list of names she had hidden away from me. “This means your one issssss, Zendaya!”
“Oh thank you merciful goddess,” I said in a dramatic voice, nearly draping myself over her. She was giggling, but an older couple shushed us.
“That was fun,” I told her.
We ended up playing M.A.S.H, tik tack toe, battleship on our phones, and would you rather. However, after a while she kept yawning. I could tell she was enjoying herself but her eyelids looked heavy.
“Why don’t you get some rest, this whole thing is a twenty-four hour trip. You need to sleep sometime,” I told her.
“You’re probably right,” she agreed.
We both got settled. Soon, the lights in the bud were dimmed. I put on my headphones so I could listen to some music and not the snoring of the others in the bus. Soon the driving became lulling, and the rain that started gave a comforting ambiance.
Once during the trip, I woke up. It was pitch black outside. However, I felt a weight on my shoulder. I looked to see that y/n, in her sleep, had shifted to lay on my shoulder. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. I hunched down a bit so her neck wouldn’t hurt. I was much taller than her after all. Tentatively, I laid my head on hers for a second. I bit my lip. It felt good, but I couldn’t stay like that in good conscience. She’d done it without meaning to, and I shouldn’t do it without permission.
“End of the road folks!” Came the loud voice of the driver. It was time for us to switch buses.
“Oh shit, Timothée I’m sorry,” she said in alarm as she woke up.
“Huh?” I feigned not knowing what she was talking about.
“I didn’t mean to lean on you, is your shoulder okay? I hope I wasn’t too heavy,” she said as she gathered her things and blushed.
“Y/n, it was your head, not an elephant. It was comfortable, don’t worry,” I told her nonchalantly.
Y/n looked increasingly worried as the crowd began to grow. She was looking around the station at all the different buses. She gulped uncomfortably. I had both hands full so I couldn’t guide her, but I came up beside her.
“What’s your state?” I asked. She told me and I knew she’d be with me.
“Just follow me,” I reassured her.
I led her through the throngs of people and we found our bus. We made it back to our seats. I was happy we were placed together again. I was starting to really enjoy this girl’s company.
“Oh thank you, I can finally relax,” she sighed. “Just one more ride and then home.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
We began to talk again. She told me she was a teacher. I told her I was trying to be an actor. She said she wished her school had an acting program. She told me how she used to write plays and skits for some of her friends, and they would act them out.
“No, Avocado tastes like grass,” she rolled her eyes at me playfully.
“It’s good!” I exclaimed.
“Maybe if you’re a -“
Tires screeched. The driver called out. Before I knew what was happening I’d thrown out my arm to protect y/n, but my face was slammed forward into the seat in front of me.
“Holy shit,” y/n said when everything had been righted. She then looked down at how I had held her back.
“Y-you, you didn’t block yourself?” She asked.
“Is that bad?” I asked, feeling dazed and sore.
“You’re bleeding!” She cried, without answering my question. She yanked tissues from her carry on. She pressed them against my nose. She gently guided me so that my head was ripped back. My cheeks were bright red.
“It’s okay, it doesn’t even hurt,” I mumbled. She was stroking my cheek absentmindedly.
“Well I would hate to mar your pretty face,” she said lightly.
“You think I’m pretty?” I asked, eyes shifting to her. She smiled but didn’t meet my gaze, she was still looking for more injuries.
“Maybe a little,” she whispered.
“Well I think you are,” I admitted.
“Thank you,” she answered, biting her lip.
Thankfully my nose stopped bleeding. We talked on and off for the rest of the journey.
“Do you believe in fate?” She asked me suddenly.
“Fate?”
“Like destiny? Like, I don’t know, it feels like this was almost meant to be. What if everything was meant to work out so that we met one another on this trip,” she explained.
“No, I don’t,” I admitted.
“Yeah, probably stupid,” she said, sounding ashamed.
“It isn’t stupid,” I said, touching her arm. “I just have a difference of opinion. That doesn’t mean this hasn’t been fun or special. Perhaps not everything lined up perfectly in the universe to make this happen. Maybe it’s just random, but that’s important too. It’s important we make the most of the situations we’re in, and we’re doing that.”
“You know Timothée, you’re a good guy,” she said with a soft smile.
“Oh, thank you,” I said in surprise. “I think you’re good too.”
“Thank you,” she responded.
I really didn’t ever want this to end. I felt like I was on a lovely date that was going so well I didn’t want it to be over. Unfortunately, my stop was before hers.
“Well, I guess I’ve got to get off here,” I said sadly.
“Aw it’s going to be boring without you,” she said earnestly.
“Could, I, um, could I give you my number?” I asked, feeling shy suddenly.
“Yes!” She agreed enthusiastically. I watched her light up like a firework. I hadn’t anticipated the gorgeous stars in her eyes.
I quickly programmed my number into her phone. She laughed when she saw I’d named myself “Hot Bus Guy👃🏻🩸” she told me goodbye and gave me a hug.
I was finally back home, but I felt lonely. I couldn’t believe a simple bus trip could change so much. I felt like I’d left a life long friend. That’s when my phone pinged.
“I miss you already” - unknown number.
“This is y/n btw” - unknown number.
I smiled at my screen. I could already tell that wouldn’t be the last time I saw her.
