I think this is cuddling? Haha. Takes place during the beginning of ep 11 - bus cuddles!

-

Pran's not sure when he fell asleep, but when he wakes up, the firm cushion of Pat's shoulder underneath his head is the first thing he feels. The second is the hard bus seat that's practically made his thigh and ass numb, along with the ache in his back for sitting up for so long.

He doesn't quite stir yet. Yesterday feels like ages ago, even though the memory is still fresh in his mind. The sharp, disappointed press of his mother's palm to his cheek. Pat's father shoving him to the ground, where a large bruise is surely forming on his side--Pran still winces when he thinks about it. Sobbing into Pat's shirt for what felt like ages even though it must've only been a few minutes, clinging onto him like he's the only thing that matters.

And with the way Pran doesn't want to move his head from Pat's shoulder, even though Pat's arm is around him and surely as numb as his thighs, Pat really is the only thing that matters. Pran can see the rise and fall of his chest when he creaks his eyes open, the slow breath of his sure and open mouth, his heartbeat which Pran likes to imagine is on pace with his own. Pran shifts and sighs, wanting to bury his face into Pat's neck like so many times he's done before, even though he doesn't want to wake Pat up.

Pat's fingers twitch from past his shoulder. "You up?" Pat rumbles, voice a bit throaty like it is fresh in the morning.

Pran tilts his head up. "What about you?" he says.

"I'm up." Pat moves his arm from around Pran, which Pran mourns. He has no idea how long is left on this bus ride--it's en route to the eco village, which had been about a seven hour drive, so maybe there's an hour or so left. The sky outside is still a dark blue, although Pran knows all too well how quick morning can come, like the world is shifting--like when their parents found out about them dating in half a second, and their universes turned upside down.

But he still has Pat. "How are you feeling?" Pran asks quietly. "I didn't get to ask yesterday, but--"

"Oh, don't worry about me," Pat says, much too airily for Pran's liking. "I'm fine, just tired."

Pran looks up at him from where his head is still resting on top of Pat's chest. He's all meat and bone and muscle; a long time ago Pran had thought to himself that if he was ever allowed to lie on Pat's body all day, he would. The sentiment remains.

"Tired after about five hours of sleep?" Pran asks cheekily.

Pat smiles down at him, pokes his dimple. "You had five hours of sleep too. And you usually need more."

"I do." Pran yawns. If he was up to it, he would sit up from lying on Pat and stretch. But he doesn't know what will come of this--this running away, this inevitable going back. At least, Pran thinks they're going back. But he doesn't know what will happen then, or what will happen now. So he lets himself indulge in Pat's body warmth, even at the expense of his sore neck.

"I'm going to sleep more," Pran says, closing his eyes. "Wake me up when we get there."

He feels more than hears Pat laugh in response. "Okay," Pat says, and starts sifting his fingers through Pran's hair. Pran smiles, and blindly looks for Pat's hand until he finds it, grabbing his thumb and bringing it to his cheek. Pat adjusts it so he's pressing more into his dimple.

"Okay," Pat says again. "You sleep. I'll let you know."

"That's what I just said," Pran says, but the smile is still on his face as he finds himself drifting off again, nestled so deeply into Pat's side that he thinks everything will be okay, as long as he gets to keep this.