He felt something tickle his cheek slightly before a weight collapsed on his shoulder, shocking Jellal out of his sleepy stupor.
He stifled a weak yawn and clutched his bag slipping out of his grip when the bus hit a bump in the road. The weight knocked against his shoulder again, harder this time accompanied by a weak snort that made his tired eyes glance down at her.
Red hair trickled down between them, tangling in both their jackets and pillowing her cheek smooshed to his shoulder. A few strands fell in her mouth and she sputtered, but didn't wake.
Did he know her? His eyebrows scrunched in thought. Maybe…
He'd seen this woman around but they never spoke. All he knew was that she left her house before the crack of dawn and returned when the sun sank well below the horizon. Much like himself to be honest.
Her binder slipped from the tight grip it was in and a few papers peeked out at him. The messy scrawl was indecipherable to his weary eyes but stressed out college notes were things he could easily recognize.
Jellal smiled, his sleeping companion was more like him than he thought.
The bus lurched as it halted to a stop at the red light the driver almost ran and the woman slipped a bit off his shoulder, hair bunching up oddly while her grip loosened sending binder, bag and whatever else off her lap.
Quicker than he thought he could move his hand shot out, grabbing them before they could hit the bus floor and cradled them atop his own bag.
He couldn't very well let them fall, the bus floor's filthy. It'd ruin her things and he doubts she would need that atop the other stresses she may have.
She wobbled a bit off his shoulder and he moved to steady her better. She murmured something but it was too soft for his ears to catch.
Jellal yawned, shuffling in his seat for a better position. He stole a glance out the window, taking note of the familiar shops and faulty streetlamps, his stop was drawing near.
His gaze dropped back to her, drawing gentle snores now. He'd wake her when it's time for him to go.
Yeah, let her rest, she looked like she really needs it.
Erza's eye groggily opened.
What time is it? Did she…..fall asleep on the bus..?
Did she miss her stop?! No, no,no,no, no
Erza almost flew out of her seat in shock, except she couldn't. Something heavy kept her down, pressing the top of her head and tickling her forehead. It was warm and smelled faintly of cologne.
What…?
One eye was sealed shut by whatever she was pressed to, so with only a single tired eye she glanced up at him. It was the dark tattoo she recognized first.
He breathed lightly atop her head, rustling her hair and strands of his own blue hair. He sniffled, sighing and leaning deeper against her.
She knew him. Well, not really knew but she'd seen him before late in the evenings and impossible morning hours on the bus close to passing out like herself.
A small smile reached her lips. Looked like they both chose the same day to do it.
His hand slipped off the small pile in his lap and she followed the movement as it slapped his thigh.
Her things….they laid secure atop his own. He'd taken them from her so they didn't fall. How thoughtful.
Streetlights flowed through the window, bathing them in a soft glow. Her eye caught a familiar stuttering light, flashing rapidly. His stop was right before hers and it was drawing near
But she couldn't wake him just yet. He snorted lightly in his sleep. She'd wake him when it was time to go.
Yeah soon, he looked like he needed all the rest he could get.