Jex could not believe his luck.
As if it wasn't enough that he'd won this all-expenses-paid trip to New York to attend the premiere of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, complete with three nights at the Westin on Eighth Avenue and dinner at Babbo for him and Max -- he was now trapped in an elevator with Daniel fucking Radcliffe.
It shouldn't have even happened, really. They were on their way to a quick dinner before the premiere, and Jex was barely two steps outside the Westin's revolving door before he realized that going out into the November air without a scarf was a bad idea. Max had grumbled, but settled onto one of the squishy chairs in the ground floor lounge to wait while Jex dashed back up to their 30th floor room to retrieve it.
Scarf in hand, he'd waited impatiently for the elevator to come, and stepped into the car the second the door opened, noting absently that another person was inside, but not really looking -- it was New York, after all, and only tourists looked.
So it wasn't until the elevator came to an unexpected halt and trapped him there with a total stranger that he bothered to sneak a glance. And the elevator's sole other occupant looked quite familiar.
Don't stare, was his first thought, followed shortly by Holy fucking shit! He focused on the control panel of the elevator instead, expecting the car to start moving again at any moment.
"Do you think we're stuck?" Daniel asked after what seemed like minutes.
Jex turned to look at him, trying to keep his face impassive, and shrugged. "Probably just a glitch. I'm sure it'll move again in a minute."
Daniel pulled up the sleeve of his jacket to look at his watch, and then swore under his breath.
They stared straight ahead at the elevator doors for a solid minute, neither of them speaking. CNN was playing on the small TV monitors in the elevator, and the tinny sound of the announcer's voice coming through the small speakers was getting annoying.
"And hundreds are expected to gather in Times Square tonight for the premiere of the fourth Harry Potter film," the announcer began. An excerpt from the trailer flashed across the screen.
Jex glanced at Daniel to see that he had looked away from the monitor. "Well," Jex began, hoping to break the tension, "I suppose you're going to be late for that."
Daniel smiled at him, though it seemed forced. "Yeah. There's a car waiting for me below. I'm sure my... They're probably wondering where the hell I am."
"My boyfriend is probably pacing by now, wondering what's taking me so long," Jex grinned in response. Daniel blinked at him for a moment before looking away, and Jex wondered if he should've kept his mouth shut. He exhaled and watched the scrawl of headlines across the bottom of CNN's display. "This is taking longer than it ought to."
Daniel stepped forward and studied the console. "Think we should push the alarm button?"
Jex shrugged. "Probably."
Daniel pushed it and they heard a ringing sound.
And then the power abruptly shut off.
"Shit," Jex said. It was completely dark in the elevator now, and the sudden absence of the TV blather was eerie. "That can't be good."
"I'm sure it's fine," Daniel said, though his voice was tight. "They have loads of blackouts in New York, don't they?"
"In the summer, sure," Jex retorted. "Do you remember seeing an emergency phone on the control panel, by any chance?" Jex stepped forward and reached out to where he thought the panel would be.
"I don't know. But let me see if I can-- Oh, sorry!"
Daniel's hands jerked away from where they'd accidentally grabbed Jex's ass instead of the panel. Jex grinned in the darkness, already planning the LJ post he'd write about this later tonight. God, Anise was going to shit.
"Not a problem," he replied, unable to stop himself from teasing the poor kid.
"That was fairly awkward," Daniel muttered. "Did you find it?"
"I don't think there is one," Jex said. "And my boyfriend has my cell, of course."
"They must know we're here, right? Don't they have computers that monitor the lifts?" There was just a hint of panic in Daniel's voice.
"Yes, of course," Jex said, though he hadn't a clue. "I'm sure they'll get it running again soon. We just have to be patient, yeah?"
Daniel made a snorting sound. There was a long awkward silence.
"So," Jex said, trying desperately to think of something to say that wouldn't make him sound like an obnoxious fanboy. "Big night?"
"If I ever get there," Daniel replied. There was a sliding sound, and then Daniel's voice was coming from a spot nearer the floor. "I wonder if they'll start without me?"
"Well, it isn't for another hour, right? I'm sure we'll be out by then." Jex settled on the floor as well, crossing his legs beneath him. It was utterly bizarre to be sitting here in complete darkness with a celebrity. He wondered if he'd make fandom_wank for posting about this -- who would believe it?
"We were fairly high up when it stopped, weren't we?" Daniel asked.
Jex felt something brush his knee -- Daniel was sitting cross-legged too, and they were closer together than Jex had realized.
"I don't think it's possible for elevators to fall, if that's what you're thinking," Jex said, trying to sound confident.
"It's just that -- I had a dream about this a few nights ago. It's a bit scary." Daniel's knee pressed against his more firmly than before, which made Jex uneasy.
"Trapped in a dark elevator with a hot guy -- sounds like a dream to me." If that didn't get the kid to back off with the aggressive knee thing, nothing would.
Daniel made a sound like a nervous laugh. "Erm... thanks."
Jex hadn't meant it as a compliment, but he wasn't going to say so now. Was it his imagination, or had Daniel moved a bit closer? "Sure. You're welcome."
Jex leaned against the wall of the elevator. Though this would be a great story to tell, he honestly couldn't think of anyone he wanted to be trapped in an elevator with. If he could see, perhaps it wouldn't feel so claustrophobic. Something brushed against his fingers, and he barely stopped himself from jerking his hand away. Daniel's fingers brushed against his again, with all the subtlety that an average 16-year-old could muster.
Jex's mind spun for a moment -- was Daniel Radcliffe flirting with him?
"Are you afraid of the dark?" Jex asked.
"No. Why?" The fingers traced across his again.
Jex bit his lip, not quite believing this was happening. "If you really want to hold my hand, you just need to ask."
There were several awkward seconds of silence, and then Jex felt fingers cover his own. He turned his hand over so that Daniel's could slide into it.
His heart was pounding. What the fuck was this kid playing at?
He might as well take advantage of it, though -- he'd never forgive himself if he didn't. Neither would his entire friends list, half of whom would give their left tit to be in his position. Even Max would understand -- he hoped.
He shifted so that he was facing Daniel and pulled his hand to tug him closer. Daniel didn't resist, and a moment later, Jex felt Daniel's other hand on his thigh. Jex reached out and found a shoulder, and then a face. He slid his hand around the back of Daniel's head and pulled him close enough to feel breath against his lips.
He paused then -- this was crazy. What was he doing? This kid was jailbait, and--
Daniel kissed him, and Jex dropped the thought entirely.
It wasn't a bad kiss, though a bit overenthusiastic, the sort one might expect from a teenager used to making out on the sly. But still, it was fucking Harry Potter and he was practically in Jex's lap with his tongue down Jex's throat, and Jex wasn't about to complain.
He could teach the kid how to kiss properly, though. He cupped Daniel's face with his hands and pulled back enough to take control, slowing down the frantic pace. He managed to quell the battle for his tonsils into something much more sensual: a brushing of lips and hot wet glide of tongues and little nips and pauses to suck on a bottom lip here and there. Daniel made a sound very much like a whimper and melted against him.
And just when Jex started to worry about what would come next, the lights came back on and the elevator began to move.
They stared at each other for a long, awkward moment before climbing to their feet. The lighted numbers on the panel were ticking down fast, and the moment the doors opened, it would all be over.
"Well," Jex said, trying not to stare at Daniel's lips. "I... I hope you enjoy the premiere."
"Yeah," Daniel said. He blushed, which made Jex want to hug him.
The doors opened.
"You folks all right?" a man in a greasy uniform asked, squinting in at them.
They nodded and stepped past him into the lobby.
"It was nice to meet you," Daniel began, and frowned. Jex hadn't given his name.
And he wouldn't -- it was better that way. He winked at Daniel. "See you in your dreams, kid." And he turned and walked away, off to ride the escalator down to the bottom floor lobby and face a pissed-off Max, who would never believe this had really happened.
+++++
It was hour later, while they were standing in the crowd outside the theater waiting for the stars to walk down the red carpet, that Jex realized he'd left his scarf behind in the elevator. He shivered and Max wrapped his arms around him, and it was fine.
And when he saw it wrapped around Daniel's neck as he stepped out of his car and waved to the crowd, it was even better.
FIN
Story Notes:
Originally posted: November 14, 2005
Warnings: RPS, inaccurate characterizations of actual people, unlikely scenarios, gratuitous fandom references, etc.
Note: Written especially for Jex, just cause. I hope this isn't too horribly embarrassing, honey! ;-)
Link: On LJ