Kevin wasn't just late, he was late for being late. He had to get to a wedding, ten minutes ago.
Now, Kevin knew Arnold wouldn't mind if he was late to his wedding, but Kevin would still feel terrible. Nabulungi, Arnold's bride, was a nice girl and Kevin didn't want to ruin her special day by being the absent best man.
He dashed out of the elevator and ran through the lobby of his office building. Another man was running alongside him with a similar goal, get to the revolving doors and leave.
There was a mutual camaraderie between them and they silently planned to push through the door together.
Outside, a snowstorm raged. Wind, freezing rain, and snow puffs battered the city. As Kevin and his running companion neared the revolving door, they put their hands out and ran into it, then smashed into the glass.
"What the-" The man said, peeling his face off the glass door.
They were inside the revolving door between the lobby and freedom. Kevin rubbed his throbbing jaw and looked at the door. A snow drift was packed up against it, and it didn't look like it was gonna budge.
"Are we... trapped in here?" He asked.
The man shook his head. "No way, that can't happen." He said, then he tried to go backwards into the lobby, it didn't work.
"Why can't you go backwards?" He asked.
"It doesn't turn that way," Kevin explained. "for safety reasons."
"Then we're trapped in here," the man gestured to the snow pile. "until that melts."
Kevin sank to floor and put his head in his hands. Oh god, Arnold is going to be heartbroken. He thought.
"I'm Connor, by the way. Connor McKinley." The man said, joining Kevin on the ground. They shook hands and Kevin introduced himself back. "I'm Kevin Price."
"Nice to meet you Kevin, if you don't mind my asking, are you late for something?"
"Yeah, a wedding. How did you know?"
"You keep checking your watch."
"Oh."
They sat in silence for a little bit; the lobby cleared out as people left through alternate doors. Kevin and Connor had shouted for help, but nobody heard them through the thick glass. The last person to leave the lobby had turned off the lights, so the only source of light for Kevin and Connor in the tight space was the glow of the city outside.
"I was the best man."
"Pardon?"
"At the wedding, I was the best man and I'm missing it."
"I'm sorry, did you leave your date behind too?" Connor asked cautiously.
"Nah, I was going alone, like a loser."
"Oh, no wife? Girlfriend?"
"Um, I don't-" Kevin stumbled over his words so Connor jumped in. "Swing that way?" He suggested.
"Yeah."
"Well at least we have something in common then."
In that moment, a lonely taxi meandered down the snow covered road. The two men jumped up and waved their arms frantically, trying to get its attention, but to no avail.
They had tried using their cellphones to call for help but Connor left his up in his office and Kevin used all his data on stupid cat videos and Twitter.
Together, Kevin and Connor had come to the realization that they'd be trapped in that god-forsaken door all night; or until someone showed up for work.
"Isn't there a janitorial staff?" Kevin asked.
"Every other day, this happens to be one of their off-nights."
"Of course it is."
Kevin and Connor talked for hours about whatever came to mind. They talked about politics, their families, the wedding that Kevin was missing, pretty much anything. At around one a.m., Kevin nodded off to sleep, leaving Connor alone with his thoughts.
There was one persistent thought swirling around in Connor's mind that he was strongly trying to discourage. Instead of thinking that terrible thing, he was content to watch the city lights twinkle outside, but the thought wouldn't go away. It wasn't a thought that Connor wanted to have, but he kept having it anyway.
Kevin Price is beautiful.
And he was really. Kevin reminded Connor of one of those cake toppers of the religious boy praying, or somebody from a pre-inserted picture that comes with a new frame. He had bouncy brown hair and brown eyes, and he was tall with long legs that took up a lot of room in the cramped space.
When Kevin woke up, he saw Connor looking at him. "Can I help you?" He asked, slightly ruder than he had intended.
"Um, no." Connor said, thankful that the bad lighting was probably hiding the blush that he could feel creeping up his pale cheeks.
Eventually, Connor dozed off as well. His neck cramped up and he wiggling around in pain.
Kevin woke up again. "Uncomfortable?" He asked.
Connor nodded.
Kevin adjusted his sitting position and patted his lap. "Here, use my lap as a pillow."
"Um, are you sure?"
"Yeah, just two gay men sleeping in a revolving door as the temperature gradually drops. What could go wrong?"
Connor had a thought, he considered staying quiet, but his big mouth betrayed him. "It is colder in here."
"Yeah, it is."
"Like, really cold."
"Mhm."
"If only we had a blanket or something..."
"We could cuddle... for warmth." Kevin suggested.
Connor shrugged with a fake nonchalance, "Yeah, I guess." He shifted and squeezed next to Kevin in the corner of their tight space.
"And I mean since we're already cuddling, and we're probably gonna die in here before morning..." Kevin said in a leading, playful tone.
"And?" Connor asked, not making the suggestion that they were both thinking.
"I dunno, maybe we could..."
"Could?"
"Kissorsomething." Kevin said quickly.
"I'm sorry I didn't get that."
"Maybe we could kiss, or something."
Connor smiled and looked up at Kevin in the dark. "I thought you'd never ask." Then he leaned his face upwards and pressed his lips onto Kevin's softly.
It was just Connor kissing for a moment, but Kevin soon joined in, running his hands through Connor's soft hair as he kissed him.
When the kiss was over, they sat in silence, enjoying one another's warmth and company. Eventually Connor fell asleep with his head on Kevin's chest.
Forced to crane his neck up awkwardly by Connor, Kevin noticed a button high up on the wall.
"Holy shit." He said.
It was an emergency call button.
