this signifies the replacement of the first two chapters. Aaand yeah nothing continues to happen they have not gone anywhere yet but they shall soon enough
steven already kinda wants to smooch riley on the face if that makes you feel any better
No one answers the door when Steven knocks, which is odd. Usually there's either a note taped to the small window on the door, or it's opened after maybe thirty seconds of waiting.
Steven gives Riley a courtesy 60 seconds before knocking again. He does this twice before getting curious. Perhaps the usual note of 'feel free to come in and use anything needed, I will be back soon' that Riley leaves blew away or some Pokemon got to it? Hm.
He might as well attempt an experiment and just see if the door is locked. Luckily for Steven, it is not. Though he's hardly past the threshold when a Riolu launches itself around a corner, barking in a tone that Steven can't tell if it's alarm, anger, or panic. He should really get better at reading mammalian Pokemon.
Steven holds his hands up in surrender. "I. It's okay, really."
The Riolu stares him down for a few seconds, before turning abruptly and running back into the main room.
Steven assumes he's passed some sort of test. But certainly an odd one. He follows after the Pokemon, and the first thing he sees when he enters the room is Lucario, standing in front of the couch. Her ears are folded angrily, and she stands in a way where her entire body is pointed to the couch and presumably what's on it. All that's visible is an unruly mop of blue hair and a hand thrown over the armrest.
For a second, Steven think's Riley's done something like faint (or, argues the less practical half of his head, die) and he tries to pretend there is absolutely no thrill of absolute panic running through him.
It only lasts half a second at the most before Lucario looks up at him and barks quietly. She steps out of the way, gesturing helplessly and shaking her head. Steven takes this as his cue to step up. He kneels in front of the couch, inspecting the man sleeping on it as if he was tossed there and then forgotten about.
Riley looks like he's ill, definitely. He's paler than usual, and obvious shadows lurk underneath his eyes. He's got an odd expression, too, one that edges just enough into distress and away from neutral that Steven finds himself concerned. Added to that, he's not wearing his usual jacket and his clothes are fairly messy, unusual for Riley's tendency to keep a neat appearance.
The Champion takes his hand away from fiddling with his rings to nudge Riley's shoulder. He does not wake, only curls further into himself and mutters quietly. Steven frowns. No, that's no good.
He tries again, shaking Riley more forcefully. Lucario barks at him from the corner, and Steven can't tell if that means he's supposed to stop or not. But he'd really rather not get bitten, so he stops and settles for nudging Riley's shoulder a final time.
Riley mutters again, and Steven replies with "Time to wake up, Riley."
Riley grumbles but, to his credit, cracks an eye open.
"Riley?"
The aura trainer's eyes are reddish at the edges, like he'd been crying. Steven cocks his head to the side. "Are you alright?
Riley's first reaction is to reach out, and he gets halfway toward grabbing Steven before he blinks himself further awake and drops his hand. "I..."
"Riley."
Riley ignores Steven, scrubbing at his eyes and sitting up with a smile. "Mnh. I'm sorry, I should have opened the door for you, but I didn't get to sleep until late last night and I just passed out here, it seems." He laughs lightly, but it sounds just slightly strained.
Steven straightens back up, arms crossed. "You look like you got smacked around by a Steelix, Riley, and your Pokemon were freaking out when I came in here. Who do you think you're fooling?"
Steven's apparent annoyance seems to get to Riley, and he deflates visibly. Riley pushes his hair out of his face, sighing. "Look, it's just. I haven't been sleeping well and you know Lucario. She thinks if someone sneezes they're going to die, and she probably just got too worried that I wasn't easy to wake when I did sleep. It's nothing to worry about, really."
Steven does not seem entirely convinced. "Are you sure? It's hardly safe to go adventuring around in caves if you're not feeling well."
"I'm fine! Really. It's just a one-time thing, you know how it is. Besides, it's a hassle for you to come all the way here from Hoenn, I'd hate to call off the reason you came just because my Lucario is worried about me." Riley abruptly stands off the couch, sidestepping Steven and padding lightly over to the half-walled-off kitchen. He realizes he's rambling, but doesn't really stop talking (mostly to himself) until Lucario comes over and nudges his hand. That's enough of a distractor, and Steven's still standing in the main room, staring with an indecipherable expression.
Steven sighs, and with a shake of his head, he tells himself to relax. Riley could be right, who knows. Maybe it is nothing to worry about (but the second of fear when he thought something was wrong refuses to leave him entirely).
Instead, he just allows Riley to make him dinner and they discuss how their lives have been going. It's easy, nothing to worry about for either of them.
Riley ensures that he doesn't fall asleep near Steven tonight. It would be counterintuitive to worry him any further.
The faint buzzing of Riley's alarm clock wakes Steven up from two rooms over before Riley so much as stirs. Riley hears the device, faintly, but it's hardly enough to rouse him. It just falls into the same dream he's in, the only thing he can find in his current isolation. A persistent beeping noise.
Steven gives Riley the time it takes to get himself dressed and halfway packed for the day before he walks over to see why the damn alarm is still going off. It's rather irritating, there's no way anyone could sleep through that.
Theoretically.
Riley is officially the worst human being at locking doors, though it's not surprising considering he's generally alone on his island. It works out nicely for Steven, who knocks politely before letting himself in.
And Riley's still asleep. Of course. Steven shuts off the alarm with undue force, uncertain as to why the scenario puts him in such a foul mood. He inhales deeply. Best not to do anything rash but this is bad and it means something is hurting his friend and he will not stand for this- no. It's okay. Or, it will be. Steven sits heavily next to Riley, reaching over and shaking his upper arm.
"Rise and shine, I know you have to get up eventually."
Riley rolls away from him and grumbles.
"Riley, come on. I know you said you didn't sleep enough, but this is a tad excessive. Riley. Ri. Up." Steven continues in this vein until Riley interrupts him, a quiet mumble that's just barely intelligible.
"'S dark."
Steven freezes, hand still on Riley. "What?"
"Mnuh."
Dark. Weird. Steven gives up and lightly smacks Riley upside the head. "It won't be dark if you get up, it's almost 9." That actually seems to get a reaction, and Steven knows Riley's awake from the fact that he's trying to pull his arms up to escape Steven. Steven is having none of this, and promptly flops down, laying across Riley's torso. "I know you're in there." Riley mutters, sounding irritated, and swats vaguely at Steven.
"I'm not getting up until your eyes are open."
Apparently the answer to wake him is just to be as annoying as possible. Riley manages to roll onto his back, which Steven simply adjusts with. Riley does his best to sit up, squirming half away. Steven allows him room to breathe, sitting back up and moving to stand. "Well, since you've-"
Riley reaches over and grabs his wrist. "Wait."
He realizes what he's doing and cuts himself off abruptly, looking down. His fingers slowly release Steven and he drags his slightly shaky hand back to his side. "Sorry. Guess I was still kind of asleep." He laughs quietly, but this time does not even put effort into sincerity. It just sounds hollow.
Steven does not know what to do. Instead, he just stares, looking unusually sad, before hesitantly patting Riley's head. "Don't worry about it. I'll leave you to it then, eh?" With that, the champion exits and leaves Riley to the process of gathering his wits and good mood about him and setting about getting dressed.