Chapter Text
The hot guy on the train is staring at him again.
The carriage Yuuji sits in is mostly empty. When he stepped onto the train the hot guy wasn’t there, but the next time Yuuji looked up from his manga, the man was there, standing at the far side of the carriage. The man stares at him, he always stares at him.
Yuuji thumbs at the corner of his book, blinking back at the stranger. He’s always dressed the same and always stands in the same spot. He has dark hair and even darker eyes. He must be an office worker of some sort, a slightly dishevelled suit always worn. A thick black line over his nose runs from one side of his cheek to the other. His skin is pale, complexion smooth.
He just stares. It’s kind of creepy, but also really fucking hot.
Yuuji had only started taking this train once his grandpa passed. His grief had held his body hostage and then one day, the stranger’s gaze did instead. Bills wouldn’t pay themselves and there weren’t many places locally that would let a high school student work for them, so day after day Yuuji makes a long commute into the city. It was the third or fourth train ride home when he first noticed the stranger staring at him.
The first time had been confusing, part of him worried he was about to be robbed, but the stranger didn’t move, even now weeks later he never moves.
He’s tall, almost a head taller than Yuuji, lean and composed. Everything about him screams responsible adult, everything except the way he stares at Yuuji.
He’s handsome, and intense. He has large hands that look strong as he tightly holds the grips hanging from the roof.
The train Yuuji takes home is one of the last ones of the night, and the longer the trip goes on the fewer people share the carriage with him, everyone but the hot stranger.
Dim lights are lined down the side of the train, lighting it up just enough for the passengers to see the details of the carriage. It’s an old train. The only times Yuuji can clearly see the stranger are when the train speeds past far brighter street lights and shopping marts. Every time it’s like someone is taking a picture with the flash turned on, and every time the man doesn’t seem to register it. He doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t move, he just stands there lightly rocking from the movement of the train, gaze glued to Yuuji.
Part of Yuuji wants to ask him why. What is it about Yuuji that makes him stare? Is it Yuuji specifically, or does he stare at one specific person on every train he takes?
He never asks though. Today he looks back at the man, drinking in his features, and then looks back to his manga, the stranger’s eyes boring into him.
The trip takes roughly two hours. The first few times were rough, two hours of sitting still, two hours alone with his thoughts.
Then the stranger was there. Even now, Yuuji knows it isn’t normal for a grown adult to stare at a seventeen year old the way the man does, but part of him takes comfort in it.
The commute is long, made even longer after a full day of school and then work, and part of Yuuji finds himself looking forward to the strange but handsome man who is always there, like a silent companion making sure Yuuji gets home safe.
He’s partly afraid that if he walks up to him or even waves at him he’ll realise what he’s doing and stop. Yuuji looks forward to those dark eyes too much to risk scaring them away.
A loud voice on the sound system announces that they’ll be arriving at Yuuji’s destination next. He closes his manga, pulling his bag to him and tucking it into the side of it. He holds it on his lap and can’t resist another look towards the stranger, that tiny voice in him afraid that when he looks up he’ll be gone.
But he’s not gone.
The man doesn’t blink, he just watches Yuuji.
His eyes track Yuuji’s movement as the teenager stands, his dark gaze locked onto Yuuji as he approaches the sliding doors. He doesn’t move, doesn’t look away, even as the doors close behind Yuuji.
Standing in the station, Yuuji can see the man through the door windows, and the man can see him. His eyes are like a brand, and feeling emboldened, Yuuji does something different for once. He smiles.
The man’s eyes widen, and then his expression shifts. He’s always looked at Yuuji with a certain amount of intensity, but his expression has always been flat. Now though, his brows deepen, his mouth purses, his gaze somehow hungrier. It makes Yuuji feel like the stranger will reach through the window to grab at him.
He shudders, blushing at the thought, but the stranger remains still. Gaze pouring into Yuuji’s until the train starts up again and moves on to the next station.
The handsome man only stares from the train, up until the time he doesn’t.
-
The next day Yuuji takes the train, he’s surprised to see the man there already. He’s there before Yuuji for once. The shock at seeing him early causes him to almost trip over his shoes. He stumbles, bumping into another passenger.
The train is especially crowded today, as it usually is on Fridays.
The passenger he accidentally ran into scoffs and pushes him back a step. Yuuji can’t blame him, it’s hot out and no one enjoys being bumped into.
He apologises quietly and shuffles around him, taking the small empty spot by the sliding door behind him.
Yuuji’s usually peaceful ride home always becomes more of a bother on Fridays, the late train attracting people who have been out all night or are heading to another town for the weekend. He’s used to it and does his best to not get in the way.
Today though, today is different.
Standing where he is, Yuuji’s gaze looks down, the train is too cramped to people-watch today so he busies himself by counting the scuff marks on the floor.
He’s counted thirteen when a large pair of shoes steps forward into his line of sight, facing towards him.
He jolts, gaze snapping up and then freezes.
The stranger, the one that stares. The hot stranger towers over him, expression unreadable but gaze as intense as always.
Yuuji clutches his bag to his chest, lungs suddenly empty.
There have been crowded days before, and even then, every time the handsome man will take his usual spot. He always stands as far as he can without leaving the carriage. When it's that busy, Yuuji is only able to make him out when the carriage empties enough to permit it.
Not today, today the man is the closest he’s ever been. Looming over Yuuji, a strong hand wrapped around the grip hanging from the roof.
He’s hot, so hot Yuuji can feel how warm the red flush overtaking his face is the longer he stares back at the man. He may be the hottest man he’s ever seen in his life.
A few minutes pass, both drinking in the other’s features, an unspoken silence between them that only ends when the stranger speaks, “He pushed you. I won't let him do it again.” His voice is deep, tone stern and masculine.
Yuuji blinks, confused. He blinks again. Does he mean the man he stumbled into before? He goes to open his mouth to refute it, to explain that the man only pushed him back after he fell into him, but snaps his mouth shut before he can.
He nods furiously, too afraid that if he says something the stranger will leave. He doesn’t want that, not when he’s finally close enough that Yuuji can feel the heat of him, that Yuuji can share the same oxygen as him.
The stranger doesn’t touch him, doesn’t crowd into him, but Yuuji feels pinned in place regardless. Those eyes, those dark and intense eyes, they’re so close. The stranger stands and he stares, large body a shield against anyone passing by, not moving or reacting even if someone bumps into him.
All he does is stare.
Yuuji gulps, eyes flicking down the man’s body. He’s wearing the same type of suit he usually does, a white dress shirt, black pants and a dark tie. It doesn’t look cheap and also doesn’t look expensive.
He clutches his bag a bit tighter as he drinks in his fill of the man. He can just make out the shape of the stranger’s body through his clothes, the way he’s reaching up for the hand grip pulling the cloth of his shirt tighter to his body. His mouth feels dry. This is one hundred percent an adult in front of him, and it makes him tremble to think that he’s the one this strange man has fixated on.
Yuuji bites his lip, eyes meeting the man’s once more. His gaze penetrates Yuuji, staring, always staring. It makes Yuuji shy and drives him mad all the same.
He feels captivated, in a trance. All that exists is the stranger before him.
The trip home flies by way too fast for Yuuji’s liking. The announcer from the speaker stating his destination as the next one is like torture, he almost whines out loud.
The entire ride he’s been captured in the stranger’s eyes, blush deep but body and heart excited.
And now it’s almost over.
Before the stranger can step away, Yuuji reaches out with a shaking hand. He can do this, he has to be bold. He grips onto the stranger’s shirt with his fingertips, “T-Thank you for today.” He stutters, “Itadori Yuuji, my name is Itadori Yuuji.”
The stranger seems shocked, expression shifting, before his face settles into the same hungry stare from yesterday. “Choso, you can call me Choso.” He whispers back.
Choso. He has his name. Choso. Yuuji inhales shakingly, hand curling tighter to Choso’s shirt. Fuck. He’s solid and so warm beneath his hand. Yuuji wants to press closer, wants to reach out with his other hand too, but he doesn’t.
Yuuji nods, speechless again. He feels like his face must be pleading for more, telegraphing how much he wishes he could wrap himself around him, but Choso must have a stronger will than him because he steps back. Yuuji’s hand falls from his chest as he does so.
Choso continues to step back, giving Yuuji the space to approach the sliding doors of the train.
Yuuji feels overwhelmed and like he wants more, but afraid again to push too far. He can’t, he can’t lose Choso and his attention.
As the train arrives at his stop, he steps forward, doing his best to appear unaffected. He knows he’s not very successful at it.
Biting his lips, he turns back around. Their eyes meet again. Choso, his kind and intense Choso, stares back even now.
He wants to rush back in, wants to find an impossible way to climb inside Choso’s gaze, but then the train starts back up and pulls out of the station before he can, taking the handsome man away from him once more.
He wants more of him, he needs more of him.
Choso. Choso. Choso.