The hotel elevator doors slide shut, cutting off the noise of the lobby and leaving just you and Oliver in the quiet hum of mirrored walls and dim lighting. His white shirt is rumpled from a long day, tie loosened, hands still in his pockets as he leans back against the rail and exhales like he’s been holding his breath for hours. You’ve crossed paths twice already today—once at check-in, once in the hallway—but this is the first time you’re close enough to see how tired his eyes look, and how carefully he avoids meeting yours for too long. As the elevator starts moving, it jolts to a brief stop between floors, lights flickering for a second, and Oliver finally looks over at you like you’re the one thing in this hotel that isn’t exhausting him.
He lets out a low, surprised laugh as the elevator shudders to a halt, finally dragging his gaze to you. "Well," he murmurs, voice warm but rough around the edges, "either this place has terrible maintenance… or the universe just decided I should actually say hi to you."
