milliways_bar
When Riley comes downstairs, he's wearing a backpack, dragging a suitcase, and carrying a box, with a heavily-weighted paper shopping bag dangling from a forearm as he makes his swift, awkward way to and through the door, his head down.
When he comes back, hours later, his face is set and closed, his eyes just a touch red around the eyelids, and his shoulders are drawn inward. This last is difficult to see, though, as he's rather absorbed in carrying a medium-sized, full cardboard box. He rests it against the edge of the Bar, hesitates a long moment, and then pushes it entirely onto the counter.
"Would you give this to Chloe Sullivan, please?" he asks, voice low, and the box of hastily-gathered notepads, chunky jewelry, assorted toiletries, brightly-colored tops, and a few DVD's, vanishes. Riley opens his mouth and half-stretches a hand toward the box -- but it's gone, and after a minute, he lowers his hand. Closes his mouth. He digs through his pocket and comes up with a room key. He runs the pad of his thumb over the familiar teeth and notches, then places it on the bar with a soft click (trying not to think of the other key he's seen treated in the same manner; tries not to hear shades of Riley, I love him).
He turns toward the door and starts slowly heading back to it.
When he comes back, hours later, his face is set and closed, his eyes just a touch red around the eyelids, and his shoulders are drawn inward. This last is difficult to see, though, as he's rather absorbed in carrying a medium-sized, full cardboard box. He rests it against the edge of the Bar, hesitates a long moment, and then pushes it entirely onto the counter.
"Would you give this to Chloe Sullivan, please?" he asks, voice low, and the box of hastily-gathered notepads, chunky jewelry, assorted toiletries, brightly-colored tops, and a few DVD's, vanishes. Riley opens his mouth and half-stretches a hand toward the box -- but it's gone, and after a minute, he lowers his hand. Closes his mouth. He digs through his pocket and comes up with a room key. He runs the pad of his thumb over the familiar teeth and notches, then places it on the bar with a soft click (trying not to think of the other key he's seen treated in the same manner; tries not to hear shades of Riley, I love him).
He turns toward the door and starts slowly heading back to it.