Hidden Love [WilliamEst]

Chapter 14

The airport buzzed with its usual hum of activity, but Est felt isolated from it all as he wheeled his suitcase through the terminal. His heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and exhaustion as he finally spotted William’s car parked just outside the arrivals gate. It had been a long four weeks of shooting in Chiang Mai, and the only thing keeping him going through the chaos of schedules and long filming days was the thought of seeing William again. His heart had been aching for him the entire time.

As he stepped outside, the cool evening breeze hit his face. William was waiting in the driver’s seat, and as soon as he saw Est approaching, his face softened, the tension from weeks of distance slowly easing. Est opened the passenger door and slipped inside, setting his suitcase in the backseat.

They exchanged a brief glance, both of them feeling the weight of their time apart. Neither spoke. The silence that filled the car wasn’t awkward but was heavy with unspoken emotions. They had so much to say, yet words seemed inadequate in that moment.

As William pulled out of the airport, his eyes flicked over to Est occasionally, as if checking to make sure he was really there. Est looked out the window, his hands resting on his lap. He could feel the warmth radiating from William beside him, but there was a tension that neither of them could shake off just yet. It had been so long since they’d had a moment like this, just the two of them together.

The city lights blurred as William navigated the familiar streets back to Est’s apartment. The car ride passed in a strange, comfortable quiet, both of them lost in their thoughts. Est’s mind wandered back to the long days in Chiang Mai when he would have given anything to have William by his side. Meanwhile, William was thinking about all the missed moments—the text messages that went unanswered because of work, the video calls that ended too soon because of exhaustion, and the way his heart ached whenever he thought about Est being so far away.

When they finally reached Est’s apartment building, William parked the car in the usual spot. The silence stretched on, neither of them making a move to get out immediately. It was as though neither of them wanted to break the fragile peace that had settled between them.

But then, Est sighed softly and opened the door, pulling his suitcase out from the backseat. William followed closely behind him as they entered the building, his presence a comforting shadow as they took the elevator up to Est’s apartment.

As soon as the door to the apartment closed behind them, something in the air shifted. They didn’t need words anymore. Without thinking, they both reached for each other. William’s arms wrapped around Est, pulling him close, while Est’s arms found their way around William’s waist, clutching him as if afraid to let go. The hug was desperate, both of them holding on as if trying to make up for the weeks they had been apart.

Est buried his face in William’s neck, breathing in his familiar scent. William’s hands gently ran up and down Est’s back, as if assuring himself that Est was really there, safe in his arms. For several moments, they simply held each other, the quiet of the apartment enveloping them.

“I missed you,” William whispered, his voice thick with emotion. His hand slid up to cup the back of Est’s head, his fingers tangling in his hair.

“I missed you too,” Est murmured against William’s neck, his voice barely audible. He felt safe here, in this embrace, as if the past few weeks of separation had never happened.

After a few minutes, Est pulled back slightly, though he didn’t let go of William completely. “I should take a shower,” he said softly, his eyes searching William’s face. He was exhausted from the long flight, and all he wanted was to wash away the fatigue of the trip.

But William’s arms tightened around him, a low chuckle escaping his lips. “No,” he said, his voice playful but firm. “Not yet. I’m not ready to let you go.”

Est laughed softly, though he could see the seriousness in William’s eyes. He didn’t protest, leaning back into William’s arms for a moment longer. But eventually, he gently pulled away, his hand resting on William’s cheek. “I’ll be quick, I promise,” he said with a small smile.

William sighed but nodded reluctantly, letting Est slip out of his arms. As Est disappeared into the bathroom, William stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door. The feeling of having Est back was almost overwhelming, and he wasn’t sure how to process it. He had missed him so much, more than he had been able to express during their video calls or brief phone conversations. Now that Est was here, William didn’t want to waste a single moment.

After a few minutes, Est emerged from the bathroom, his hair still damp from the shower, wearing a loose t-shirt and sweatpants. William was waiting for him on the couch, and as soon as Est sat down, William wasted no time in pulling him close again. This time, they lay down together, William’s arms wrapping protectively around Est’s waist as they settled into a comfortable position.

For a while, they just lay there, enjoying the closeness they had missed. William pressed his cheek against Est’s head, breathing in his familiar scent. “I’m so tired, phi,” William whispered after a few minutes. “Tired of not being able to interact with you like I want to in public. I hate that I can’t just talk to you freely or hold your hand when we’re out. I miss going on dates, like we used to.”

Est turned in William’s arms to face him, his eyes soft with understanding. “I know, Will. I miss that too. It’s been hard for both of us.”

William sighed, his grip tightening around Est. “I just want to be with you, without hiding all the time. It feels like the more we hide, the more distant we become.”

Est reached up, gently brushing a strand of hair from William’s face. “I know it’s been hard, but we’ll get through this. And once things calm down, we can go on dates again, like we used to. We’ll hold hands and spend time together, just like before.”

William nodded, his face softening as Est spoke. “You promise?”

Est smiled, leaning in to kiss William’s cheek. “I promise. And when I get back from work tomorrow, we’ll make up for all the time we’ve missed. We’ll cuddle every night. You won’t be able to get rid of me.”

William chuckled, his heart feeling a little lighter. “That’s exactly what I want.”

They stayed like that for the rest of the night, holding each other close, their bodies fitting perfectly together as they lay on the couch. The tension and exhaustion of the past few weeks slowly melted away in each other’s arms.

***

Author's Note:
Let's enjoy a few more sweet chapters before they—[TRAIN PASSED BY]