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Sunny and Dawn shuffled off the elevator. Knuckling still-bleary eyes and rumpling hair, they headed through the quiet lobby of their ancient apartment building. It was finals week, and none of them had slept much for the past few days.
“Can we stop for coffee?” There was almost a whine in Dawn’s voice.
“YeE-Aa.” Sunny couldn’t stifle his yawn. He started patting his pockets. He stopped, spun in a slow circle, looking at the floor. And heaved a huge, blustery sigh.
Dawn let out a marginally smaller one. “Did you leave your wallet upstairs again?”
“Yeess.” Definitely a whiny morning. “Lemme go grab it. You gonna get the coffee?” The shop was around the corner.
“Yep! Bet I can make it back before Hubert gets you down here.” she grinned over his shoulder. Hubert was the old cranky elevator that took forEVAAR every single time.
“Not a fair bet, you’re probably not wrong!” Sunny spun around, but the doors had already clunked shut with new passengers. He let out a frustrated groan and added a facepalm for good measure.
Dawn’s tinkling laugh and “Better take the stairs!” followed her out the door.
He huffed. “Ok hang on, I got this.” Dropping his book bag on the floor next to Hubert, he headed towards the stairs. No need to lug THAT up ten stories too.
*~*
Three minutes later, a grumbling, red-faced Sunny burst into the apartment and kept right on going towards his and Dawn’s room. Marianne, staring into the depths of the nearly-empty fridge, glanced bemusedly at the bang and blur that was her probably-almost brother-in-law. She poked her head into the hallway. “Your wallet’s out here on the table.”
-Fwump- went yesterday’s jeans, Sunny came out and scooped up said rogue wallet. Spinning to face Marianne, he finally took a deep breath and let it out with a “Thaaank yooou!” and was back out the door.
“Have a splendid day, darling!” she called dryly before the door could shut completely.
He sprinted down the hall and slammed his palm on the call button. Lucky he had good timing, because he heard Hubert already making its creaky way up the chute. The dial above the door said it was on seven...eight...nine...ding- ”UGH finally, jeez!” He shot into the car, not really sure why he was rushing anymore, because this stupid thing really did take forever to make up its mind. Glancing at his watch, he wondered how busy the shop was on Thursday morning at 7:42 and whether five minutes was long enough to get coffee, but it would probably be ten by the time--
“Hey, hold the door!”
Sunny huffed but automatically threw his hand out to grab the door that was finally beginning to grumble shut. Then he looked up and debated letting it go.
The guy striding towards him was tall, maybe 6’4” or better, and built like a tree. Tattoos escaped from both sleeves, snaking down to his wrists, an- woah. Dude was ANGRY. Visibly enraged. Like someone had very recently insulted his honor, and he was intent on death. And the gigantic pit bull that proceeded him would probably help him do it. He did not let the door go. The guy would probably find him and feed him to the animal.
Seriously though, the thing was HUGE. It probably weighed more than Dawn. The top of its head came close to brushing his elbow as they passed. Sunny didn't consider himself afraid of dogs by any means, but he had been knocked on his butt by an over-exuberant giant puppy more than once. Thankfully, this one was only intent on the anger radiating off his master, and didn’t notice Sunny back into the corner, trying to make himself invisible.
Man-giant pulled a phone from his pocket. Staring at it for a moment, he snorted in disgust. Pit-giant made a disgruntled noise and nudged his thigh, as if in agreement. The phone pinged once- then again- and Sunny swore he saw smoke start to pour from the guys ears. “Fuck”, he growled.
Sunny felt for the thing. If laser-eyes existed, it would be a hunk of smoking plastic. The ultimate paperweight. His eyes widened a little as the huge hand flexed around the fragile piece of technology- as if it was being gleefully imagined as someone’s head- and then relax marginally. Sunny was more than a little worried. If this guy exploded before Hubert set them free, he was done. He didn’t have a chance. The phone didn’t have a chance. As the guy was typing furiously, the dog he probably had a chance let loose a whine and gave a hop, paws landing on its master's arm. The guy jerked his arm. “SIT!” he snapped.
Not that it was necessarily loud or anything, but in the tiny ancient elevator, his voice was magnified. -Plop- went the dog’s butt as it hit the floor, and -plop- went Sunny’s butt as it also obeyed the command before he could stop himself.
He was instantly ten degrees hotter. All of the blood rushed to his face. He brought his legs up, dropping his forehead on his knees, and let out the most pitiful and embarrassed whine in the history of whines. He vowed to stay that way forever.
“Wat?” He heard the confusion in the question, but it still took him more than a second to get the courage to peek up. And up.
Where he had looked ready to ruin someones day a moment ago, the guy was now staring down at Sunny, utter bafflement in his face. They were all frozen for a moment. Then, amazingly, he threw his head back and he laughed.
Sunny let his fall again. “I’m sorry! I haven’t even had coffee yet please don’t kill me”, he said to his knees.
Dude was able to reign it in enough to speak. “No, man, you don’t even- God, I’ve been awake for seventeen minutes. You would not believe- Here, look, I’m Bog.”
He did and saw the hand stuck out to help him up. Sunny extended his own and the guy easily tugged him to his feet, still talking. “I’m- Hey I’m sorry, but thank you. I actually needed that to happen.” He looked down as the dog stood and shoved his face into his hand and hip.
Sunny chuckled weakly. “I thought you were gonna go postal and that I was going to die in a creaky old elevator before I’ve even had coffee. I have an exam in an hour.” He was babbling in still-embarrassed relief. “That would be a pretty good excuse to get out of it? I’m sorry for the shit that’s going on, but I’m glad I could help I guess?” Hubert chose that moment to land, and the doors cranked open with a groan. Fresh air wooshed in. They’d made it! And-
Dawn was standing there with a drink in both hands and wide smile that was gonna include an “I win!!” But instead turned confused as she took in a still red-faced Sunny, the huge hey that’s the new guy down the hall and his exuberant giant-puppy. They all turned to look at her and Bog was quick enough to stop his dog from getting too nosy.
“Anyways, we’re off to kill my idiot cousin. You guys have really great exams, yea? Come on, Brutus.” They both skirted a still confused Dawn and strolled out of the lobby. Dawn looked back with a crooked smile. Sunny was retrieving his bookbag, and he took the silently-offered drink with untold gratitude. That first gulp was sweet, frothy victory. He felt like he’d almost been run down by a burning train and had escaped death at the last possible moment.
“Um...what just happened? I’m pretty sure that dog weighed more than both of us.”
“Brutus”, he snorted and took a smaller sip. “Come on, I’ll tell you on the way. I think I just found the perfect guy for your sister. So, you would not believe how thankful I am for this coffee...”