Do(n't) get stuck in the elevator

Black walked out of his office, yawning. His fun rebel days seemed so long ago, even though he'd only been in the workforce for three years now. He picked up the file he had to deliver to Gumpa's desk and walked to the elevator at the end of the hallway. Stepping inside, he pressed the close button, but at the very last second, a hand wedged itself between the doors. He looked up, only to be greeted with the face in his dreams- Gram.

The doors opened and Gram walked into the quaintly sized old elevator. He was talking to the phone he had in one hand and trying to balance a cardboard box with several cups of coffee between his elbows.

"Mhm, yeah, I miss you too," he was saying to the invisible person on the other side of the phone when suddenly the box escaped his awkward hold and coffee from the cups cascaded all over the floor and Black's shoes.

"Fuck! Sorry..." he began to apologize when suddenly his eyes met Black's and he froze. The elevator doors closed.

The doors closed but the tensions didn't leave. Gram stared at Black, jaw slack. This wasn't someone he expected to see today. He cursed himself for not putting in more effort this morning.

"Damn it, why did I choose today to skip the cologne" He tried to inconspicuously veer his eyes to his shoes, looking for any specks of dirt or mud. All good there. Phew. He looked back up at Black, and found himself noticing strange little things. Red brings out his eyes and plaid is so cute on him He sighed inwardly.

This crush hadn't subsided ever since he realized it a year ago, and while he had gotten pretty good at handling it, the sight of Black's prepossessing profile still left him stunned.

"What are you staring at, is there something on my face?"

Gram was pulled out of his momentary daze and cleared his throat "No, no, all good. Just surprised to see you at the office so early, is all."

"I am able to be on time, you know?" Black snapped, but regretted it instantly. Way to go, letting your nervousness get the better of you, Black. Good job.

And he was nervous. So nervous. Why did he have to like Gram? Out of all people. It was a nuisance he couldn't shake off.

"Are you... gonna press a button?" Gram asked in a low voice.

"Shut up" His face red with embarrassment, Black pushed the button for the 1st floor.

The elevator started to move. Black and Gram avoided each others' eyes, both feeling too exasperated with themselves to notice that the other was in the same situation. The awkward silence lasted for only a few seconds when a smell of intensely burnt coffee reached their noses. There was a spark and a little bit of ominous smoke before the elevator screeched to a sudden halt.

The ceiling lights go out and Black's heart races into panic.

"Shit!"

With Gram watching, Black tries to get a grip while nervously pacing back and forth. Finally, he concedes and sinks into one of the back corners of the elevator. His face now buried in his palms, the once slow and heavy breaths start to quicken.

"I never wanted Gram to see me like this," he thinks to himself. "Why the fuck did this stupid building need this fancy ass glass elevator?"

Adventurous and brash as he is, there are two things that leave Black completely vulnerable; his brother, White, and heights.

Black begins to peek to through his fingers expecting to see Gram confused and filled with pity. Before he can catch a glance, he feels a pair of hands gently latch on to his, slowly lowering them. He looks up to see Gram crouching in front of him at eye-level, brandishing that stable and assuring smile he always has. In that brief moment of silence, Black develops a third thing that renders him completely vulnerable.