Chapter Text
Taylor was exhausted by it all already. Lugging a suitcase and a heavy backpack into town to find a bus, using terrible directions from his friend and a barely working Google Maps, was not his idea of a good Friday evening.
He never really used buses and would have much rather taken a flight the next night, but he saw about the storm that was coming and accurately predicted that most planes would have to stay on the ground. Now he was in this crowded, loud, clammy room on wheels, wishing he’d have just driven himself a whole day to LA from Nashville.
At least now he was sitting down, with an empty seat beside him, looking out the window, ready to sleep. He had closed his eyes and sat comfortably, sure they would be setting off in just a moment, when a girl came up and disrupted him.
She had a big backpack, like him, and a smaller tote bag that kept slipping down her shoulder as she tried jumping up to put the backpack in the overhead space that she clearly couldn’t reach.
He offered to help her with it, mostly because it’s the decent thing to do, but partly to get her in her seat away from him so he could get his peace back. He slid across the seats to stand up, and the girl moved over slightly, but not too far, still holding onto the bag above her that would probably fall if she let go. He pushed it further back easily, and she stepped properly out of his way, then thanked him.
He looked at her for the first time fully just then, and saw the way she was staring up at him with her bright green eyes and big smile. The tote bag strap had slipped down her arm again, so Taylor gently lifted it and placed it back on her shoulder. He wouldn’t normally do something like that for a stranger, but there was just something about her that made it happen instinctively.
He cleared his throat and sat back down in his seat, quickly wishing he could’ve gotten to know her better. If he remembers her, maybe he’ll look for her if they do a service stop, he thought. But he didn’t get to dwell on it any longer, because she flopped down right beside him with a sigh. Taylor didn’t know why he never considered she could have been sat there in the empty seat, but he didn’t, and now he was pleasantly surprised. He had been so sure he just wanted to be alone on the drive, with the quiet and some rest, but he suddenly couldn’t seem to remember why, when this girl was smiling over at him again. He smiled back.
“Thanks again, I’m Hayley by the way,” the girl said, extending a hand to shake his.
“Yeah, no problem. Taylor,” he answered.
“Well it’s nice to meet you, Taylor. Are you going the whole way or just part?” she asked.
“Whole way, it-”
“No way me too! Oh that’s good!” Hayley interrupted. “I mean, I do this a lot, and I always end up next to some sweaty old dude or a crying toddler at some point, so it’ll be nice to just have you,” she explained.
“You do this a lot?” he asked, and she nodded, “Good, I think I did this maybe twice as a little kid and that’s it, and truthfully, I have no idea what to expect here.”
“Well lucky for you, you have the expert! We make pretty perfect seat buddies, Taylor,” she said, bumping him with her elbow.
He couldn’t agree more.
She leaned down to pick up her bag and rummaged through it, showing Taylor all the snacks she packed that they could share, then told him all the movies and playlists she’d downloaded that they could go through together.
When he asked basic questions like when it is acceptable to use the tiny toilet and when it is acceptable to pull the curtain over to go to sleep, she answered sincerely, giggling a little, but it felt like she was laughing with him and not at him. He was nervous about the long drive, sharing it with strangers, trusting that they’d all end up at the right place on time, but Hayley was somehow making him forget about all of it without even having to try.
Hayley could tell that Taylor was a bit on edge, so before they set off, she wanted to make sure he knew they were friends, and she had his back. She started talking about herself more, and Taylor opened up too. She learned he was going out to see his family and stay with them next week, and he told her all about them. They spoke about what they did for work and what they did for fun, and she made him promise to teach her how to play guitar properly once they were back home.
Then they started playing a game of making up backstories for everyone else on the bus. They were in the middle of working out where the guy three rows in front, on the other side, who they had decided had just divorced his wife over his new motorcycle in the midst of a midlife crisis, was headed when the bus started moving.
The driver said something they were sure no one could make out over the crackly mic, and they failed to stifle their laughter at it. Hayley curled into herself, hiding her face in her shirt, and put a hand on Taylor’s leg. He could’ve sworn his heart stopped, and he wasn’t sure if it was because she was touching him or because she just looked so damn cute like that.
He was either in for the most agonizing or the best bus ride in history.
An hour went by, and they were coming to the end of the bag of Maltesers Hayley brought out, after throwing about as many at each other as they were actually eating. Hayley began fishing about in her bag again for their next snacks, not finding anything that felt right to her, so she just dumped the bag on Taylor’s lap, telling him it was his turn to decide anyway.
While he picked out something from there, Hayley leaned in too, their hands in the bag touching. She grabbed her pair of earphones and sat back, connecting them to her phone. Taylor hoped she didn’t feel the way his breath caught when she got close, or the way his hand holding her bag shook, making it wobble when her forehead brushed against his.
Taylor put her bag down after deciding on some tiny candy he’d never heard of before and looked over at her, holding the box up for approval. She was already looking at him, smirking, and holding out an earphone for him. The other was already in her ear. She chuckled a little when he took it sheepishly, having worked out she’d been waiting for him to notice her like that for a while.
She set up her phone on the trays in front of them, balancing it nicely while she set up a movie. Their earphones both kept slipping out at first any time they moved or the bus hit a bump, so they ended up having to sit much closer together, not that Taylor was complaining.
Hayley discreetly kicked off her shoes so she could pull her feet up next to her, then she leaned her body closer to Taylor. Eventually, she decided she wasn’t comfy enough, so she leaned her head on his shoulder, checking it was okay. He was barely able to whisper out a yes, and he didn’t dare move again, wanting her to stay.
As the movie went on, he could feel her breath on him slow and even out, and her head felt heavier on him, as if she wasn’t trying to keep it up anymore. It fell a little every so often, like she was getting tired, so by the time the movie was done, he’d decided he would offer his lap for her to rest on. It was really all he was thinking about, asking her, so he missed the end of the movie completely, but then again, he was pretty sure she did too.
She sat back up slowly once the credits were rolling and reached for her phone. She looked at Taylor with a tired smile and hooded eyes, her hair a little messy where it had been rubbing against his shoulder. He took out the earphone she gave him and handed it back to her. She wrapped the wire around her phone and sleepily looked about for her bag. Taylor gave her his hand to take the phone from her, remembering the bag was under him after he was left in charge of snacks. She smiled again and mumbled a thank you, rubbing her eye and yawning.
“Aw, hey, c’mere,” he said, lifting an arm to let her in closer. She made it a lot easier to offer than he was worried about.
She settled wordlessly into him, her head on his thigh and arm round his torso, lightly gripping the hem of his shirt. She hadn’t even hesitated, which should’ve been weird considering they only met a few hours ago, but it felt right with him. She thanked him again, and he answered with actions instead of words, playing with her hair, gently running his fingers through it. She hummed at the touch and was then asleep in no time.
She looked so peaceful asleep on him like that. Her mouth was parted slightly, and the corners of her mouth twitched a bit every so often into a barely there smile, like she was having a good dream. She never let go of Taylor, and he never let go of her.
He had one hand still in her hair, and the other on her side, holding her close, just in case the bus moved a lot and she would fall, he told himself.
He couldn’t help but smile and stare as she rested on him, blushing when he caught himself, but still not bothering to look away.
He noticed her body shiver at one point, so he picked up the hoodie he’d taken off earlier and draped it over her like a blanket. She nestled in further, clearly happy with the new warmth even in her subconscious.
Another few hours went by, and Taylor hadn’t let himself sleep yet, fighting his eyes to stay open, so he could make sure Hayley was still fine. He checked his watch, seeing it was nearly three in the morning, and realized he was going to have to give in to sleep soon.
But clearly, the universe had other plans for him right now.
The bus lurched forward and sped to one side, pulling Taylor’s body with it. He stayed holding firmly onto Hayley, who somehow hadn’t woken yet. The lights flickered on, and other people started sitting up, arising with groggy moans and confused glances.
The driver stepped out, letting the freezing air enter the vehicle, to check on what Taylor presumed was a now broken down bus. He pulled the hoodie further up on Hayley to shield her from the cold.
The driver came back in, talking to the people sitting at the front about the situation. Word travelled back, and by the time the driver began his official announcement, everyone already knew: the bus was broken for the night, and they were going nowhere.
Taylor listened as they were told their options, and stayed put while other passengers scrambled about them, collecting their luggage, complaining as they trudged off the bus. He kept an eye on Hayley the whole time, scared people would knock her little feet that hung off the edge of the seat, or someone would speak too loudly and wake her abruptly. She stayed peacefully on him, steadily breathing, eyes shut the whole time.
When they were nearly the last ones on, apart from a couple of families deciding their next course of action together, he finally woke her. He shook her gently and leaned down a little to whisper her name near her ear. She stirred a bit, but not enough to actually wake her. He tried again, rubbing her arm and moving her hair like he had been before.
“Hayley, you gotta wake up,” he whispered, chuckling at her to himself.
She sat up slowly, squinting at him, confused as to why he’d woken her. Then she looked around, seeing the bright lights and empty seats.
“What’s happening? Where is everyone?” she slurred as she began to come to.
Taylor explained the situation and told her that some people were finding a place to stay tonight then coming back tomorrow when it should be fixed, and others were taking the train that was supposedly nearby. She had flopped her head back on his shoulder half way through his explanation, but she kept nodding so he knew she was still alive and listening.
“Hayley?” he checked once he was done.
“Hmmm?”
He huffed out in amusement, “Don’t think we’re up for any more travelling tonight, do you?”
She shook her head against him then sat back up, giving him the same sleepy smile he decided he very much loved.
They stood up, Hayley taking a second to gain proper balance, and started walking off together. Taylor grabbed their bags from above them and picked up the tote Hayley had forgotten about. Then they joined the others who were still standing outside, planning what to do next.
They went to get their suitcases from under the bus, and Hayley took that time to put on the hoodie that had somehow ended up in her arms. She assumed it was Taylor’s; it smelled like him, warm and comforting. She’d ask about how she got it later.
For now, they just had to focus on getting their stuff… well, Taylor getting their stuff, and working out what to do. He was leaning against his suitcase on his phone when she got closer, resting against him again, cheek pressed on his arm. He let out a small laugh and brought a hand round to the side of her face to stroke, not even looking up from his phone while he did it. She found it strangely hot. In fact, she was pretty sure she just found him hot in general.
She’d noticed it earlier, a little while after they set off. They had been making up more stories about the people around them when she noticed him properly. The way he was so nice and caring, the way he made her laugh, the way he looked at her. Her heart fluttered.
She was brought out of those thoughts and back to earth when Taylor started talking to her again.
“Alright. Hayley?” he whispered, and she nodded, standing up properly again. “Okay, there’s a little motel about a fifteen, maybe twenty minute walk. Or there’s an actual hotel a little further we could get a taxi to. What would you rather, or were you thinking something else?” he asked gently.
Frankly, she hadn’t been thinking much of anything other than him, and she was happy with whatever. “I don’t mind, motel’s fine with me, but if you’d rather not, that’s cool.”
He nodded and agreed that the motel would be fine, already bending to lift their bags, though Hayley insisted she take at least her suitcase and the smaller bag. The cold air was making her more alert, and she felt awake enough to help somewhat, especially because as she was waking up more, she realized it didn’t look as though Taylor had gotten much sleep, and he was probably just as tired, if not more tired, than she was.
They walked at a comfortable pace away from the remainder of the group and towards the motel, talking some more but also not minding the moments of silence between them. About half way there, Taylor yawned and shook his head, blinking dramatically to keep his eyes open.
They spent the next couple of minutes joking about how to keep him awake, which is how he ended up giving Hayley a piggyback for the next part of their walk. She carried the bags, thumping lightly against Taylor’s chest almost every step they took, and he carried the suitcases in one hand, tripping and getting caught on each other, so that he could hold her up safely with his other hand. It wasn’t the most practical way of getting there, but it made them laugh, and it definitely kept Taylor from falling asleep, so they’d consider it a success.
She jumped down when they were getting closer and the place came into view. They had to start walking quicker, because that storm Taylor checked about earlier was coming sooner than he thought. It was just rain and wind for now, but it definitely wasn’t something they wanted to be caught in any longer than they had to.
The clock at the tiny reception said it was almost 3:40, so Taylor’s estimated timing for the walk must’ve been a little off, but then again, he was carrying her for half of it, and they were slow and tired, so who could blame him?
They took a moment to look around as they heard footsteps approaching the desk from the little hallway. There were two small seats in the corner, a table between them with some magazines. There was the loud clock on the wall, a bulletin board neither of them bothered to read due to exhaustion, a tall plant by the desk, some brochures, and a few too many mismatched pictures scattered on the walls.
Hayley took charge of dealing with the receptionist and getting them a room. She wasn’t sure if motels were really Taylor’s thing since he wasn’t that familiar with the whole bus thing, and he looked much more visibly tired than her, so she told him just to take a seat and that she’d be back in a minute.
He watched her go up to the desk and start a conversation, but his eyes betrayed him and closed anyway. He wasn’t listening much either, but he heard her laugh and smiled to himself without even meaning to. When it sounded like the conversation was over and all he heard were footsteps, he opened his eyes and saw Hayley walking back over with a smile and something, presumably room keys, in her hand.
He smiled back at her and slowly stood up. She handed him a key card and lifted as many bags as she could carry before he tried to get to them first. As strong as she was though, she was a lot smaller, and not only could she barely see behind all the bags, but the weight of them was making her lose balance. Taylor grinned and took a couple of them back, even though she insisted she was fine and could’ve managed, and they walked to the room.
There wasn’t much to it, but that was fine, especially for just one night. There was a bed with a bright yellow bedspread, a chair with a very squished, worn, velvet cushion, a small TV on a chest of drawers that they would soon find out only had three channels, and a bathroom that was definitely not going to fit two people.
They went in separately to get ready for bed, Taylor going first, but Hayley was impatient and just wanted to sleep. She started getting changed in the bedroom while Taylor was still in the bathroom, but then decided she couldn’t be bothered searching through her stuff for pajamas, so she just kicked off her pants and climbed into the bed. She hoped Taylor wouldn’t mind too much that his hoodie had now essentially been stolen, but she’d give it back tomorrow. It wasn’t her fault that the room was cold and his clothes were comfy. That was when she tried the TV only to be thoroughly disappointed.
He came out a few minutes later to tell her the bathroom was free, but she was already tucked in, curled into a ball under the covers, eyes closed and relaxed. He wouldn’t dare disturb her like that. He quietly climbed in beside her, going as slowly as he could to not make too much disruptive moment, glancing over at her every couple of seconds to see if she was stirring.
The rain hitting the window, combined with Hayley’s soft breathing beside him, helped lull him to sleep, and he was out like a light. He was vaguely aware of Hayley getting up maybe an hour later, thinking she was getting up to use the bathroom. When he didn’t hear her return after a few minutes, he rolled over, extending an arm to her side to seek her out in case he just imagined it.
But like he thought, she wasn’t there.
He rolled back over and turned on the bedside lamp to get up and check that she was okay. It flickered and never fully turned on, but it stayed lit just long enough for him to make out her figure sitting on the chair across the room.
“Hayley?” he whispered. He didn’t get a response for a moment.
“Did I wake you?” she answered finally, rushed and worried.
“Nah, it’s okay. What are you doing up? You okay?” he questioned, leaning back over to her side of the bed to try that lamp instead.
It turned on just before a crash of thunder made Hayley jump, and then he understood.
“Oh, hey, it’s alright. Did the storm wake you then?”
She nodded sheepishly, cringing that he saw her jump.
“I’m not like scared or anything,” she defended quickly, “just don’t like them, that’s all.”
Taylor sat up and nodded in understanding.
“But I’m not scared,” she repeated.
He lifted his hands in surrender. “Never accused you of anything Hayley, it’s fine,” he laughed. “But why are you sitting over there? You gotta sleep some more, and it surely won’t be as comfortable there.”
“No, wel,l I just didn’t want to jump and wake you,” she sighed and rubbed a hand over her face, “but I guess I did anyway, so… sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. C’mere,” he said, pulling back the covers to encourage her back to bed.
She crawled back in, thanking him for being nice about it and apologizing again for waking him. Taylor tried to distract her from the sudden bright flashes of lightning through their curtain and the loud banging of the thunder by talking. They talked about a lot of nothing for a while, just random things, Hayley pausing her story every time she heard thunder for just a second. They turned the light off again, happy to just talk in the dark before they inevitably fell asleep again.
She told him the reason she hated the storm so much was that the random, unpredictable loud noises always reminded her of when she was a kid and her parents would yell and slam doors, and she couldn’t ever predict when. He appreciated her confiding in him like that and telling him, so he thought of his own stories to share like that. They started talking more deeply, sharing stories they would never ordinarily do with someone they just met, and asking all these deep questions about their past or their future, but it just felt right. Never oversharing, just comfortable exchanges of life between two people interested in getting to know one another.
After a while, Taylor could tell Hayley was really freaking out. The rain was heavier, there was less time between lightning and thunder, and the wind was rattling at the window. He held out his arms for her to get closer if she wanted to, no obligation, just an invitation. She didn’t hesitate. Within a second, her head was against his chest, and her arm was draped over him, clinging to his shirt. She whispered a near inaudible thank you that he responded to by holding her back closely.
They kept talking, and he felt her calm down as the storm seemed to do the same. Eventually, she moved her body to separate from him and try sleeping again, but not before she leaned up to place a light kiss on his jaw and thank him again.
Her lips lingered, just for a second or two. He stiffened at first, then relaxed more than he had in a long time.
Not even five minutes passed before he heard, “Taylor?” whispered beside him.
He hummed in response.
“Will you hold me again? Please?” she asked quietly. “Felt nice,” she added in a whisper, just loud enough for him to hear.
He smiled widely and nodded, half aware she wouldn’t actually be able to see him in the dark, but figured she’d get his answer when she felt him around her. She was facing away from him, so he came up behind her, pulling her body easily in against his.
“Yeah, I got you,” he said as he kissed the top of her head, “Goodnight.”
“Night Taylor,” she yawned back, holding her arms over his that was wrapped around her waist. He lifted his thumb up to take her hand in his and felt her sigh and giggle against him, and she let him hold her hand. And for the first time in a while, he wasn’t thinking about where he was headed, or caring about how he'd get there, only about the girl beside him.