Ugh, I'm dead on my feet... I'll take the elevator

Todd had had a trying day and since he hadn't had much sleep, he felt like a zombie. There was no way he felt energetic enough to climb the many stairs up to his apartment. Instead he approached the elevator, and pushed the button to call for it.

Behind you, you hear the door open. For a moment you don't bother moving, waiting for the elevator to arrive, until the figure stops alongside you and you glance over. "River!" You say the name before you have the chance to do otherwise, shock on your voice. You hadn't expected to see him here.

He smiles a bit, and you see he still has the box in his arm. "Hey... Todd." He smiles, and seems to be glad he remembers your name. "You live here too?" He gestures around the foyer with his free hand.

Todd was surprised to see River, but also rather happy. The man was still holding the pasta box that he had brought this morning. Hadn't he come home yet? What had he been doing all day with a box of pasta tucked under his arm? Most people would find this weird, but Todd thought it was endearing and totally cute. "Yeah, on the 15th floor. Pretty funny we end up living in the same building, don't you think?"

The elevator opened its doors, waiting for them to enter it.

You see River smile brighter, as if the simple things you say mean far more than you imagine they do. When the elevator arrives he steps on first, the box under his arm making a small, shifting and rattling sound. "Oh, it's pretty surprising..." He admits, bringing you along and pressing, first, your floor, then his, which was a few above yours. "I live on nineteen..." He mentioned, his voice suddenly dropping, and you notice him watch you for a moment. You absently put a hand to your head, where the scar has rested for a long time now. River tilts his head, letting his red hair fall in a curtain. "What's that?" He asks, nodding a bit to you.

• I'll admit not only what it is, but where it came from
• I'll just say what it is, then shrug off how I got it...
• I don't want to talk about it, so I shrug and stay quiet

I'll just say what it is, then shrug off how I got it...

Todd never felt too self-conscious about his scar, which he had had for most of his life. It took up the majority of the left side of his face, and was the reason why he was half-deaf. "It's a burn scar," he replied, removing his hand from it and staring up at the floor numbers, which lit up as the elevator travelled upwards. "I've had it for a long time." He didn't feel like sharing too much personal information with River. Even though he was attracted to the man, he still couldn't trust him, just in case.

You glance over when River doesn't speak after a moment too long, and see him regarding you with a furrowed brow and mouth just slightly open. You can see his tongue working over his teeth. "I... see." He says, and you're surprised to hear the tone of anguish in his voice. He looks away, to the plain doors in front of him. "That sounds awful..." He brings up an arm and brushes it across his face---was he crying? You study him when he laughs.

"I'm sorry, I guess I seem a little crazy..." River sighs, and looks at you. "But... I know it seems weird, but... I kind of... feel your discomfort. And the pain that scar must cause... But I don't see it... I mean, I do, but I don't see that as being a part of what makes you who you are. I don't want to make you uncomfortable..." He breathes in and out through his mouth, and you think you can hear him wheeze a little.

• Ignore it. It's just the humidity
• Ask what's making him breathe like he is
• It's obviously asthma, I've heard it plenty. I won't bother
• Ask though you already know---see if he's as truthful as he seems

Ask though you already know---see if he's as truthful as he seems

River's adorableness was growing quickly on Todd. The man seemed so innocent and lovely, it took all his self control not to kiss him right then and there. It was hard to find people who didn't simply stare at the large burn scar on the side of his face. Paul had been one of the rare people who had seen past the scar. He shook his head, ridding his thoughts of Paul in an instant. He looked over to River and noticed the wheeze in the man's voice. Probably asthma, but it felt rude to simply assume. "Are you alright? You are breathing kinda funny," he asked, hoping River wasn't having difficulty breathing.

You watch River take a moment and breathe in deeply, then cough out whatever was in his throat and look at you. His green eyes sparkle a little as if you're the first one to really, readily ask about it. "It's fine." He says, and offers a smile that you return. "I have asthma that usually... comes up around humid weather or tense or stressful situations. Sometimes I can fight it off, but I always keep this with me." He brings out a small blue item, and you immediately recognize it as an inhaler. "Emergencies only, no little wheezing spells."

Tense or stressful situations? Are you one of those? It's an idle thought that crosses your mind as you watch River put the inhaler back into his pocket and shift the box under his arm. You tear your eyes away from him and to the reading on the wall. Halfway up the shaft. It feels like the elevator is stuck in a time warp of sorts, sliding up the shaft as if it were a snail.

• Kiss him
• I have more restraint than that. I'll find something else to talk about instead
• I don't know what to do---I glare at the floor the rest of the ride up

Kiss him

Todd couldn't take the tension any more and leant forward gently, placing a kiss on River's cheek to gauge how the man would react. "I know we have only just met, but I really like you, River. You seem like a kind person," he said with a smile, peering into the man's face, trying to read his expression. His heart was thudding so hard, he was amazed River couldn't hear it.

You see River's face flush to a near glowing shade of red and he doesn't look at you for a moment. In the moment you wonder if it was a bad idea and prepare to mentally kick yourself, when River turns to you and smiles. "T-thanks, Todd... You seem like a pretty great guy. Feels like... something hurt you. Emotionally. I dunno, I might be overstepping my boundaries by saying that..." He sighs roughly, coughs a little, and rocks back and forth a bit as a slight ding sounds and the doors open. "Hey... You know, if you're ever bored you can come find me... I wouldn't mind a familiar face around for once." He shifts to the doors to hold them open. "I live in H42."

• I give him my apartment in turn---it'd be nice to have something to break the monotony
• I'm not sure... It's strange to feel this way about a near stranger...
• I nod and give my thanks but keep my apartment to myself. He already knows what floor I live on anyway
• I guess I could follow him to his place
• I'm tired. I nod but decide to head home and sleep

I nod and give my thanks but keep my apartment to myself. He already knows what floor I live on anyway

"I'll be seeing your around then," Todd replied, feeling happiness burst in his chest. He would go to River's apartment right away, but he was a bit tired and hungry after working. Besides, he really wanted to watch the news tonight. He was sad to see the doors close and the elevator continue to his floor. River seemed so.. Different. He wanted to get to know the man more.

The silence in the elevator seems crushing, but you make it to your apartment with little dread. The silence after spending a few extra minutes with River was really pressing into you and when you enter your apartment and go to the kitchen to find some food, you notice the radio. You had thrown it after that odd cacophony poured out last night, but it didn't look broken. Not that you could tell at least. You ignore it for now, however, hoping never to hear that dreadful noise again. But as you find and put together something to eat, you can't help but remember that conversation you think you misinterpreted. They'd been talking pretty loudly, though.

Crazy people... You can't help but feel a bit of foreboding, though. Was it to do with that clamor in the radio? You don't doubt that if you'd listened to it a bit more, you would have went insane too. But maybe that was the combined hunger and sleepiness talking...

Todd finished his dinner and sat on the sofa, flicking on the TV and searching through the channels until he found the news channel. He glanced at the clock hanging on his wall. It wasn't quite time for the news, so he watched the gardening show that always played before the local news. His dinner was simple, but nice. He couldn't help thinking about River. What was the man doing right now? Thinking about him...? He sighed, feeling like a love struck teen.

Love-struck teen fantasies aside, you manage to push the thoughts away and focus on the start of the news. The familiar sight of the evening newscasters were on the screen in just a few minutes, talking about what happened during the day, the temperature and forecast, before getting into serious topics. You watch, half interested, until something odd is said.

"Early this morning in the hours between midnight and four in the morning, various calls came in regarding instances of supposed insanity inflicting seemingly random people. Physical attacks occurred on Main Street, Broadway, in Cloud 9 Apartments and in Wilson Park..."

Wilson Park? You listen more carefully. You can see Wilson park from where you live. You listen in more carefully.

"None of the individuals are related and are said to be otherwise perfectly sane individuals with no history of violence or mental disturbances. It seems amnesia is a possible infliction of whatever drove the people to attack randomly. Police are still investigating..."

You watch the television, tuning out the rest. If memory serves right, you recall Cloud 9 Apartments to be across town. You don't have much time to go on thinking, however, as a knock at the door sounds.

• Answer the door
• Don't answer the door, this is creepy

Answer the door

Todd started at the sound of the knocking, but shook himself. There was nothing strange about someone knocking on his door at this time of the night. Maybe it was River, though he hadn't told the man his apartment number. Maybe he had been loud and his neighbour was coming around to tell him to quieten down a bit. This happened a bit, seeing Todd was half deaf he often had to have the TV or his music playing loudly in order to hear it.

He got up from the couch and went to the door.

You pull open the door and find that it is indeed River, with a rather embarrassed smile on his face. But then you see he has nothing in his hands. "Uh, sorry if I randomly found your place... I actually went around to a couple neighbors and asked if they knew where you lived..." He pointed down the hall, and you peer out to a door that leads to an older neighbor. "Sooo... I actually came by because I was kind of... freaked out." He grimaced, ducking his head, and you can tell it's a bit hard for him to admit something like that. "I was watching the... the news, and saw that story about these crazy people... And a couple attacks were close, so I was hoping I could... ask if I could come by for a bit?"

You can certainly tell he's never asked something like this before. Under his red hair his face looked nearly the same color.

Todd was a bit weirded out by how River had come to him, because of something he had seen on the news. Sure the news had been disturbing, but Todd hadn't wanted to go to someone to be comforted by them. Maybe River was on drugs, or some sort of crazy serial killer who put on a charade of a shy man to easily get to his victims. Todd chuckled and shook his head at his thoughts. He had been watching far too much CI channel it seemed.

"Haha, we only just met and already we are friends," Todd commented with a smile, letting the man inside his place. "The news upset you that much, did it? People die all the time... I think the media just like to sensationalise everything. I bet you it was two unrelated events. Maybe the guy caught his wife cheating on him and he flipped, but now is saying he didn't do it..."

River looks nervous, and he nods. “Yeah, maybe I’m overreacting...” He says, and chuckles shakily. “I mean, I’m from a little town... Things like this just don’t happen. Killings are kind of... okay, they’re really rare around where I’m from, so... Three or four in one night? It’s... really freaky to me. I guess I get paranoid and need to talk to someone or know something’s normal.” He fidgeted, looking back toward the door. “I could leave... if you were busy...”

• Let him go, I’d rather be alone tonight
• No, I’d like the distraction for once

No, I’d like the distraction for once

Todd shook his head, grasping out with his hand and holding River's. "It's ok, I guess it is a bit... Different. And I'd love the company. My apartment has been feeling awfully bare lately." Ever since he had moved out. What had his name been again? All Todd could think about was how cute River was. "You can stay for as long as you want."