Work Text:
“Wait, wait!”
Sungyeol winces as his hand is crushed between the elevator doors. He slips his body into a small space between another body and the wall.
“Can you press 26? Thanks.” He mumbles, glancing at his watch. He has two hours before his next class. That’s enough time to eat lunch and study for the upcoming quiz. He sighs at each stop, the elevator slowly emptying until it’s just him and one other person.
Human nature getting the best of him, he glances over to see who’s left. He does a double take when he notices a gorgeous guy in a tank top, sweat shining on on his bared chest, and earbuds lodged in his ears.
“Holy shit…” He mutters under his breath, not really meaning to, but how the hell can he not?
The mystery man looks up upon the halting of the elevator. He looks at Sungyeol who is now outright staring at him, and he’s rather shameless about it as well. He nods before stepping off.
“You’re really hot.” Sungyeol calls out as the doors slid close. It takes him until he’s safely in his room to realize what he just did and he slaps his forehead loud enough to scare his roommate.
“Shit, I didn’t hear you come in at all.” His roommate stares up at the oversized male in front of him that is Lee Sungyeol.
“Sorry, Myungsoo.” Sungyeol sighs as he breaks out his delicious lunch.
“Poptarts again? Go down to the cafeteria and eat some meat, man.” Myungsoo says, looking at the hell that is criminal justice on his laptop.
“It costs too much. How far are you?”
“Five hours into it and I have one more chapter of notes to take. Kill me now. I beg you.” Myungsoo groans before downing the rest of the coffee he must have gotten during his fifteen minute study break.
“Sorry man, I don’t want to go to jail.”
“That’s too bad.” Myungsoo mumbles, picking up his pen and jotting down his millionth bullet point on law enforcement regulations.
“So there was this gorgeous guy in the elevator and I stupidly let him know. I hope I never see him again.” Sungyeol groans. Myungsoo snorts and shakes his head.
“That’s not how you socialize. You should hope to meet him again and then get your sorry ass a boyfriend.”
“As if you’re one to talk, Mr. I-Don’t-Leave-The-Room.” Sungyeol argues around a mouthful of poptart.
“I leave the room plenty! I go to class, use the bathroom, shower, and I go downstairs to eat.” Myungsoo turns to pout at Sungyeol.
“That’s not what I meant buttweed.” Sungyeol glares at him before turning away from the least sympathetic person on the floor.
The rest of his break goes on smoothly, studying for his math quiz as he munches on poptarts and sucks down milk.
When it’s finally time for his class, he reluctantly grabs his keys and bag and heads out.
“Later, dick fart.”
“See ya, ass head.”
As Sungyeol waits for the elevator to creak it’s way up to his floor, he chews on his lip. He concludes that he’s going to have elevator anxiety forever, in fear of seeing the gorgeous man he does and doesn’t want to see.
When the doors open, he sidles on in and holds down the one button in hopes to bypass all floors, at least just the twenty fourth floor.
When he watches the floor twenty floor blip by the elevators sign, he lets out a sigh of relief. Sungyeol safely gets down to the first level and when the doors opens, he has a heart attack.
“Holy chicken shit!” Sungyeol yells, face-to-face with the gorgeous man from earlier today (just his luck, right?). “Uh, I’m late, please move!” Sungyeol quickly spews, throwing a dramatic glance to his watch. His acting professor would be so proud of him if she were here right now.
The male moves to the side, face clearly amused as he watches Sungyeol all but fly past him.
Sungyeol really needs to work on his impulsive yelling.
-
A week later and he’s all but forgotten the gorgeous male. It isn’t until he’s half asleep in the elevator one night with a slice of pizza in one hand and the other on the railing to keep himself upright. His math class has been brutal to him and his brain isn’t helping. He’s beyond drained and decided to waste a dollar and treat himself to a slice of greasy cheese.
The doors open and Sungyeol doesn’t even register it, nodding off in the corner.
The elevator continues to go up and it isn’t until he feels a poke to his arm that he peels open his eyes. He glances up at the red twenty six above the open doors. He mumbles a thank you, glancing at the other passenger.
He stares for a while.
The stranger stares back.
The elevator doors close.
“Shit.” Sungyeol mashes the open doors button until the elevator groans and opens back up. Letting out a groan himself, Sungyeol shuffles out of the metal box the smell of pizza giving him enough energy to back to his room.
The stranger watches to make sure he gets in safely.
That night, Sungyeol falls asleep next to his half eaten pizza, a string of cheese hanging out of his mouth, and thoughts of the gorgeous elevator guy in his mind.
-
Sungyeol’s in the elevator with Myungsoo, who promised to treat him to the campus’ sushi.
“So, this guy was dressed as a flower, handing out taekwondo flyers. And the best part of it all was that on his butt was a mock stinger. He kept saying, ‘Look like a flower, sting like a bee.’ I got one and I swear to you, I might take the class.” Myungsoo blabs on, Sungyeol half listening as he stares at the number twenty four.
“You should, if your criminal justice class doesn’t swallow you alive.” Sungyeol gut clenches uncomfortably as the doors open.
The stranger, officially dubbed as “elevator guy” (©Kim Myungsoo 2014), sauntered in, all tan and gorgeous. Myungsoo stops talking, eyeballing Sungyeol who is turning around to fully face Myungsoo.
“What?” Myungsoo asks. Sungyeol looks down at him and he has to look pretty crazy right now, because Myungsoo looks like he wants to either cry or laugh or sink further into his corner. Or all three.
It’s silent, except for the screeching of the elevator as it plummets twenty four stories. Myungsoo looks over at the elevator guy and back at Sungyeol. He mouths something and Sungyeol squints, staring at his mouth.
“What?” He whispers. Myungsoo mouths something again, but he still doesn’t understand.
“I’m not majoring in lip reading, just say it.” Sungyeol frowns.
“Is this elevator guy that you have socially unacceptable meetings with?” Myungsoo asks, and asks rather loudly Sungyeol might add.
Sungyeol outright punches Myungsoo in the stomach just as the elevator dings, destination met. He hears the sexiest little chuckle in between Myungsoo’s heavy wheezing.
The elevator guy leaves, Sungyeol behind him with Myungsoo in tow via hair.
“You asked for it.” Myungsoo grumbles.
“Shut the fuck up, piss pot.” Sungyeol snarls, cheeks unbearably hot.
-
A few days later and Sungyeol is back at his favorite spot on campus it seems, the cramped little untrustworthy box. He’s blasting music and ultimately just rocking out. It’s been a good day so far. He obtained a free shirt and snagged a free hotdog as well. That’s a successful day right there.
He’s literally about to belt out the lyrics when the doors slid open on the third floor. Elevator guy walks in with a friend, chatting animatedly. Sungyeol pretends not to notice, however he does turn the volume down significantly.
“Hey, Woohyun, when we get to your room, I need to borrow your printer. Mine is out of ink and I can't get any until Saturday.”
“Yeah, sure.” The elevator guy, now officially known as Woohyun, responds. Sungyeol taps away at the blank screen of his phone, looking immersed in something other than the two others.
As the two exit the elevator on the twenty fourth floor, Woohyun turns around and waves at him. Sungyeol’s too slow to respond, mouth falling open as the door closes.
He almost wets himself with joy as he bounces towards his roommate.
“Woohyun waved at me! Elevator guy waved at me!” He screechs. His suitemate in the adjacent room, pokes his head into their room.
“Shut your trap.” Grumplepuss Sunggyu grumps. Sungyeol sticks his tongue out in response. Sunggyu glares but comes in anyway, taking a seat on the floor.
“What’s got you louder than normal?”
“This super gorgeous guy that keeps getting into the elevator the same time I’m in it waved at me just now. He waved and smiled after he got off. But he was with some other dude. However, I’m not going to be cliche and think that’s his boyfriend. It’s totally his friend.”
“How hot is he? Like bang-him-in-the-elevator hot? Or take-him-on-a-classy-ass-date hot?” Sunggyu asks, stretching out over the floor that is undoubtedly covered in Sungyeol and Myungsoo’s hair.
“Fucking both man. And never talk like that again.” Sungyeol looks at Sunggyu with disgust, earning the middle finger and a sweet smile.
“I’ve seen him before, he is quite the looker. Tan and muscular. But you know what I don’t understand? He finds Sungyeol funny. He laughed at the fact that Sungyeol punched me in the stomach.” Myungsoo huffed.
Sunggyu stopped stretching. “He’s obviously not right in the head.”
“Hey….” Sungyeol pouted. “I need new friends.” He turns away and takes out a can of Coke from his baby fridge.
“I hope he likes you, Yeol. He’ll be the first ever guy to like all that you are.” Myungsoo adds helpfully.
“Fuck you, Myungshitsoo.”
-
Sungyeol finally manages to talk to this Woohyun fellow a few days later.
“You dropped your ID.”
“Oh, thanks.”
Sungyeol feels rather proud of himself for the rest of the week.
-
He’s had a bad day. First, he forgets his umbrella so he’s beyond drenched and shivering like a naked cat, and then his acting professor tells him he’s a work of shit. Maybe not in that exact wording, but to Sungyeol, it’s all the same.
He’s actually close to tears as he slumps into himself, hugging his drenched clothes, which really only makes him colder. The elevator stops at the fifth floor and he shoots a nasty glare to the girl wanting to get on.
“I’ll take the stairs.” She mumbles.
At the seventh floor, he prepares his lasers, but the beautiful Woohyun is there and Sungyeol actually starts to cry.
Woohyun kind of just stands there for a moment before getting on.
“Hey...uh, are you alright? I mean, sorry, you clearly aren’t… Will you be okay?” Woohyun asks and his voice is full of unnecessary concern because he doesn’t even know Sungyeol, he’s only seen him a few times on a freaking elevator.
So Sungyeol cries harder.
This Woohyun guy stands there awkwardly, staring at the wreck that is Lee Sungyeol, until the ding of the elevator signals they've reached the twenty fourth floor.
Sungyeol's suddenly being pulled off of the elevator and towards Woohyun's room and Sungyeol has pepper spray so this guy better not try anything.
"If it looks like it's going to rain, bring an umbrella next time." Woohyun mumbles, struggling to reach a towel on a shelf. He finally manages to get it and starts drying Sungyeol off.
"I think I have a packet of hot cocoa dust somewhere..."
Sungyeol chuckles, because shit, he said hot cocoa dust, how had he not even thought of that? It's so true. And funny.
Woohyun has the towel on Sungyeol’s head now, drying off his hair. "Ah, a smile. There's the rainbow after the shower."
Now, normally Sungyeol would take a crack at that cheesy line, but it isn't his day, so he's just going to accept that one.
"I know it isn't my place to ask you why, but every time I see you, you're happy or just really weird, which is cool. So I'm really concerned. Do you see where I'm coming from? Plus it's better when you smile." He adds and then he looks down all shy and flustered.
Sungyeol kind of just stares at him.
"Uh, so, you're nowhere near dry but you've stopped crying which was my initial goal. Uh. You should change into dry clothes."
Sungyeol nods, sucking a wad of snot back up his nose.
"Thanks. I'm Sungyeol, by the way. Sorry about all this." Sungyeol stands up awkwardly, Woohyun right behind him.
"I'm Woohyun."
-
Sungyeol’s become too embarrassed to even go on the elevator. He's walked down them this morning (and almost got sick from how dizzying it was) and he's determined to walk back up.
His legs say no more on the eighth floor. He's pretty sure his face is red and he's sweating a new waterfall.
He leans against the wall as he waits for his metallic chariot to arrive. When the doors slide open, he isn't even surprised to see Woohyun there. He is surprised to see Sunggyu chatting next to him though.
"Holy shit, what happened to you?"
"I don't want to talk about it." He wheezes out, sliding in to lean against the wall.
"I apologize for this thing stinking up the elevator. Hey, you don't mind if Woohyun comes over right? We have a huge communications project to do." Sunggyu groans.
"Sungyeol's your roommate?" Woohyun asks.
"Suitemate. Wait. You know him?" Sunggyu looks at Sungyeol and suddenly his brain isn't as slow as he is. "Elevator guy?"
Sungyeol is too exhausted to even care, so he just nods weakly.
Wrong decision.
"No shit. You think this guy is hot? That's good. I thought the guy was weird but now it all makes sense." And Sunggyu just won't shut up and if he seriously hadn't of gone up eight dreadful flights, he'd have kicked Sunggyu to the moon by mow.
Woohyun isn't looking at him and Sungyeol doesn't know if this is a good thing or not.
"Hey. You two are perfect for each other." Sunggyu literally has to drag Sungyeol's weak body off of the elevator and Woohyun is still silent.
"Myungsoo! We have a guest." Sunggyu all but yells and Sungyeol finds enough strength to punch Sunggyu’s back.
"The fuck, man..."Sunggyu grumps, rubbing his back as he disappears into his room.
Myungsoo pops his head out of the room and Sungyeol almost screeches because the guy's eyes are red and he swears he's mumbling off criminal theories.
"Christ, get some sleep." Sungyeol stares at the work of horror in front of him. Woohyun nods, obviously freaked out.
"Woohyun. Nice of you to finally ask Sungyeol out. He always rants about how you must live on the elevator." Myungsoo mutters, voice rough and crackly.
Sungyeol groans and bangs his head on the wall.
"He is clearly not in the right state of mind, don't pay attention to him. I beg you."
"What if I want to pay attention?" Woohyun's eyes are all dark and smoldering as he gazes at Sungyeol.
"Bologna..." Myungsoo says, licking the wall.
"You're right, this could be interesting."
-
"So, do you want to get dinner with me tonight?" Woohyun asks in a packed elevator. Sungyeol, who is squashed between the wall and someone's book bag, chokes a little.
"Me?" He squeaks out. Not because he's nervous and flustered, but because the air is literally being squeezed out of him.
"Yeah."
"Uh..."
"Fucking say yes." Some guy near the front says before getting off at his stop.
"Sure, Woohyun."
"See you downstairs at seven." He smiles and slips out of the elevator. The guy smushing Sungyeol finally leaves and he's left alone to mull over what just happened.
He bursts into his room, effectively scaring the ramen out of Myungsoo’s mouth, and proceeds to tear apart his lack of clothes.
"What is it now?" Myungsoo asks calmly.
"He asked me out. FOR DINNER." He screeches and Sunggyu meanders in, large doughnut in hand.
"He actually did it, huh? He told me he was going to the next time he ran into you."
"Go in your pajamas." Myungsoo chips in from the desk he never leaves.
"Because cheese stains are attractive. I wish I had a suite."
"Dude, it's the cafeteria, not a classy restaurant. Just wear anything, he's seen you at your worst, which is everyday, so he obviously really likes you."
Sungyeol’s lip quivers and he brings a hand up to his mouth.
"You guys are the fucking greatest friends I ever had." Sungyeol sniffles and Sunggyu tenses because he's not a comforter, he's the comfortee.
Myungsoo has zero social skills so he kind of just sits there at an awkward angle.
"Is what I would say if I wasn't friends with a pair of tiny dicks." Sungyeol rolls his eyes and goes over to pry at Myungsoo’s collection of dark clothes.
"And your acting teacher says you suck..."
"You guys just suck at knowing when I'm faking it."
-
"Well this is nice." Sungyeol pipes up, cutting into his dinner waffle. Tonight just so happened to be 'Breakfast for Dinner Night'. He was totally down for that.
"So what's your major?"
"I'm an acting major, but that might change since I'm not doing very well." Sungyeol pouts around his fork.
"You should just become a model. You're tall, you wear clothes well from what I've seen, and your gorgeous." Woohyun looks out the window all shy and stuff.
"Hm, never thought about that. I should look into it. What about you?"
"I'm undecided right now. I thought about teaching music, but kids don't like me. Now I'm just not too sure."
"I say go for it anyway. I'm sure some kid will like you. I do and I'm constantly told I'm childish..." Sungyeol says bitterly. Such an annoying truth.
"You like me, huh?" Woohyun smiles, biting on his straw.
"You treated me to dinner, how can I not like you? Plus you're tan and flawless. Look at that little nose. Let's just model together." Sungyeol decides, excited with his idea.
Woohyun laughs and shakes his head.
"Deal."
-
"You seriously don't have to ride up to my floor with me." Sungyeol mumbles, fiddling with his hands.
"It's just two more floors."
"Exactly."
"But what if I want to give you a goodnight kiss?"
Sungyeol blushes, whole body feeling flushed at the thought. Two floors suddenly feel like eternity as they approach the twenty sixth floor.
When they get to Sungyeol's door, he's stopped by Woohyun's hand on his chin and his head is being tilted down ever so slightly.
Sungyeol is looking down into chocolate eyes, not cocoa dust chocolate, but dark chocolate chocolate.
They meet halfway for a very cute kiss that lasts all but ten seconds.
"Goodnight." They whisper at the same time.
As soon as Sungyeol opens the door, Sunggyu practically squeals.
"I saw the whole thing through the peephole you cute little fuckers." And Sunggyu looks so freaking happy one would think he was the one who got the kiss.
Woohyun laughs before he's on his way down the stairs.
-
Sungyeol's got a snug arm around Woohyun as the zoom up twenty six stories.
"Ah, remember when we first met in here?" Sungyeol sighs happily. Woohyun chuckles.
"Yeah and you yelled at me that I was hot."
"Still very much are."
"Thanks. Right back at you."
"We should get married in here."
"Hm... I'm down for that."
There is a moment of silence.
"Sunggyu was right, you are strange. Thank goodness I am too."