Elevator

6 Hours

How humiliating.

"Repeat that," Taehyung finally said.

"You heard me," Yoongi replied.

Taehyung lifted his head, his hands still clutching the sides of it, to look at the two elders. There were hurt and anger in his eyes as those emotions coursed through his veins, filling his body and leaving him feeling humiliated. He opened his mouth to snap back, but the speaker on the elevator clicked on and a woman's voice sounded through it, though it was muffled and distorted.

"He--o? Can you h--r m--e?" It was difficult to make out what she was saying. Taehyung lowered his hands and strained his ears to hear better. "You nee-- --ay still, o--ay?"

Namjoon, in his excitement, rushed over to where the speaker was. But as he did, the whole elevator shook violently and a cloud dust settled over their heads.

"Don't move!" Taehyung yelled. Namjoon froze mid-step and moved only his head to look at the speaker.

The woman's voice came again. "You need -- s-- still! It's ver-- --nstable! Help -- -- the way!"

"How long will we be in here?" Yoongi yelled.

"Rep--ments can ta-- hou--s..."

"What? Fix your damn microphone!"

There was a crackling, and then the boys were left in silence. But not even a moment passed before the box containing the boys began to shudder.

Yoongi's eyes widened in realisation before he shouted, "Namjoon, GET DOWN!"

Taehyung recognised what was happening and tackled the elder to the ground, gripping his arms tightly around Namjoon's waist and covering him as the entire elevator jerked. There was a large sound that resembled a cord snapping, and the box dropped several feet before snapping still. Some of the planks in the ceiling came crashing down and smashed over Taehyung's body, knocking him out when his head connected with one of them.

"Taehyung!" Yoongi went to move forward, a holding a hand outwards, but Namjoon stopped him.

"No, don't move! If you do, Tae won't be the only one you'll have to worry about," he shouted, trying to be heard not only over the clatter around him but also from being underneath his younger.

Yoongi swallowed but reluctantly nodded and very slowly moved into the safe crouch he was in before.

***

"--hyung! Taehyung!"

Taehyung opened his eyes. The world, split into two like a 3D film without the glasses, moved back and forth until finally settling into a still picture. Yoongi was bent over staring at him, Namjoon next to him. Both were overcome with worried expressions.

"What happened?" Taehyung mumbled. He was trying to figure out where he was, and why Yoongi seemed so much closer than Namjoon. It took him a minute, but he eventually figured out that his head was laying on the eldest's lap.

"You covered me from the planks in the ceiling," Namjoon said. "And you knocked me down before the elevator could with all its jerking."

Taehyung looked around him. The boys and himself were covered from head-to-toe in the dust, and Yoongi had a few cuts on him, while Namjoon and Taehyung had bruises forming on their skin. Parts of the ceiling were cracked and littered across the floor. Behind where the planks in the roof was a sea of wires. As he glanced back at the two elders, Taehyung remembered what happened just before he blacked out.

"How long have I been out?" he asked.

"Little over half an hour," Namjoon said, checking the watch on his wrist.

The sound of a cord snapping stood out in his mind, and he frowned as he tried to place its meaning. It sounded more like metal than rope. And the entire container shook, then dropped several feet right after it sounded. His jaw dropped, and tears of fear and horror brimmed in his eyes in understanding.

"I--we're..."

Namjoon gave a sad smile. "Yeah... We're not getting out of here. At least not alive."

Yoongi sat back, leaning against the feeble wall behind him. "Death by an elevator. Huh, how pathetic." He shook his head.

Though the other two have had plenty of time to accept their fate, it just made it all the more stressful because they couldn't do anything about it, no matter how much time passed. And time was something they didn't have control over.

"M-maybe they'll save u-us in time," Taehyung stuttered. He was trying to regain hope, but no matter how he tried, that match wouldn't be lit. And the other boys weren't buying it either. 

"I.. no, please..." Droplets slid from the corners of Taehyung's eyes. He wanted to sit up and scrunch into himself, but he knew he shouldn't move, and his head hurt too much anyway. So he just threw an arm over his eyes. He tried to control his sobbing, scared that his shoulders jerking would send the elevator falling. "No...Yoongi hyung... please."

"Say it."

"Eh?" Taehyung lowered his arm a bit to see Yoongi gazing at him with an expressionless face.

"Say it. Tell me what you want to tell me."

His lower lip trembled and his heart swelled in his chest. Yoongi was being serious; he wanted to hear Taehyung say it for himself. And what better time? It wasn't like Taehyung could run this time. And Yoongi and Namjoon weren't going to go running to anyone else to make fun of him. And he only had a short amount of time left.

Fate was playing with him. What a cruel way to give him the perfect chance to confess.

Taehyung cleared his throat several times over. He wanted to say it perfectly; he wanted to sound powerful and confident. He wanted Yoongi to remember this.

I love you, Yoongi hyung.

The only thing he regretted was that his voice cracked at the 'love' word.

There was silence, but it wasn't awkward. It was acceptance. Namjoon accepted that someone else loved his boyfriend. Yoongi accepted Taehyung's declaration. And Taehyung finally accepting what his heart craved after years of turning it away.

"Kiss me," Taehyung blurted.

Now it was awkward.

Namjoon glared at the younger, fire and threat in his eyes. Yoongi looked shocked, and Taehyung was overwhelmed with embarrassment. But there was no backing down now.

"Please," he begged.

"Tae..." Namjoon warned.

"Hear him out," Yoongi said, holding up a hand. "He's liked me for years now."

"Excuse me?" Namjoon demanded, looking in surprise at the eldest. "And that makes it okay? Are you serious? I don't care how long he's liked you; you're mine."

"Remember the crushing feeling when Seokjin hyung rejected you?" Yoongi snapped. Namjoon fell mute instantly. "Don't you want to protect your maknae from that?"

Namjoon's gaze travelled from Yoongi's to Taehyung's, then to the floor. He gave in, nodding slowly. Yoongi returned his attention to the youngest. "Continue."

Taehyung agreed with a shake of his head. "Please. Even if it's a quick peck, I just want to know what its like to kiss you. I want to know if what I feel is real--"

Yoongi smiled sincerely, something he didn't do quite often, and leant down and kissed Taehyung's lips to silence him, whose eyes swelled in utter astonishment. Namjoon had to look away as envy inflicted his heart. 

Taehyung closed his eyes and deepened the kiss, trying to push dominance over Yoongi. That failed. Yoongi pinched Taehyung's chin and pushed it downwards before pulling away.

"I can believe you talked me into this," Namjoon muttered.

Yoongi smiled at his lover. "Oh but this is the best part," he said. He looked at Taehyung and pointed to Namjoon. "Now, Tae, kiss him."

Wait, what?