last seat on the bus
Description: After a long road win, JuJu and Rian end up sharing the back seat of the team bus. Somewhere between sleepy cuddles, intertwined hands, and soft kisses in the dark, things start feeling a lot less platonic.
The bus is quiet for once.
Not completely silent.
There’s still music playing softly somewhere near the front and occasional laughter breaking out every few minutes.
But mostly?
Everybody’s exhausted.
The lights are dimmed low enough that the city outside blurs through the windows in soft gold streaks.
JuJu drops into the empty seat beside Rian with a groan.
“I think I lost feeling in my legs.”
Rian laughs quietly, closing her laptop.
“You played forty minutes.”
“I played forty painful minutes.”
“You dropped twenty-eight.”
JuJu shrugs dramatically.
“And yet. Suffering.”
Rian shakes her head smiling.
JuJu’s hoodie is half zipped, curls messy from the game, exhaustion softening every sharp edge she normally carries.
Pretty.
Really pretty.
Rian looks away before she stares too long.
“You cold?” she asks instead.
JuJu immediately nods.
“Freezing actually.”
Rian lifts the blanket she’d been using and throws half of it over JuJu without hesitation.
JuJu hums happily.
Then—without asking—leans sideways until her shoulder is pressed fully against Rian’s.
Rian goes still for half a second.
Because JuJu has always been touchy.
But lately it feels different.
Softer.
Longer.
More intentional.
JuJu lets out a tired sigh.
“You smell good.”
Rian nearly chokes.
“…thank you?”
JuJu just closes her eyes.
“Mm.”
And somehow that’s worse.
The bus hits a bump a few minutes later.
JuJu shifts instinctively closer.
Their thighs pressing together now.
Rian’s heartbeat starts acting stupid immediately.
Then suddenly—
warm fingers brush against hers.
Accidentally at first.
Then not accidentally at all.
JuJu intertwines their hands without even opening her eyes.
Like it’s natural.
Like she’s done it forever.
Rian looks down at their hands quietly.
JuJu’s thumb rubbing slowly against hers absentmindedly.
And God.
Rian is done for.
“You falling asleep?” she whispers.
JuJu nods slightly against her shoulder.
“Tired.”
“You should sleep then.”
JuJu peeks one eye open.
“You’ll stay?”
Rian’s chest aches instantly.
“Yeah.”
JuJu relaxes immediately after that.
Actually relaxes.
Like hearing it mattered.
A few more minutes pass before JuJu speaks again.
Voice quieter now.
Half asleep.
“I looked for you after the game.”
Rian blinks.
“What?”
“In the crowd.”
JuJu squeezes her hand once.
“You’re the first person I look for now.”
Rian genuinely stops breathing for a second.
Because there’s something terrifyingly honest about sleepy JuJu.
Like she doesn’t realize how much she’s admitting.
JuJu shifts again until she’s practically curled into Rian’s side now.
Rian carefully brushes curls away from her forehead.
JuJu tilts her face upward instinctively.
Close.
Too close.
Rian’s eyes flick briefly to her lips before she can stop herself.
JuJu notices.
Of course she notices.
Her gaze softens immediately.
And then very quietly:
“You can kiss me, y’know.”
Rian’s heart almost explodes.
“You’re half asleep.”
“And?”
Rian laughs nervously.
JuJu just watches her patiently.
Soft.
Sleepy.
Waiting.
So finally—
carefully—
Rian leans down and presses a small kiss against her mouth.
Gentle.
Warm.
Way too brief.
But when she pulls back JuJu smiles immediately.
That soft sleepy smile that makes Rian feel completely ruined.
“Again,” JuJu whispers.
Rian laughs quietly against her lips this time before kissing her once more.
Longer now.
Still soft.
Still careful.
JuJu sighs happily into it.
Then hides her face against Rian’s neck afterward like she suddenly got shy.
Which is adorable considering she literally initiated it.
Rian wraps the blanket tighter around both of them.
Still holding her hand.
Still feeling JuJu’s heartbeat where they’re pressed together.
And somewhere in the dark back corner of the bus—
with the city lights flickering outside and JuJu half asleep against her—
Rian realizes she could probably stay like this forever.
