I
Icicle
Guest
Original poster
After Serenity's comment about her own funds, he quickly responded, "I have enough for a night at a cheap hotel I remember from an advertisement. It has 'complimentary breakfast' so you can save your money for the bus fare back." He hurried along, speeding up slightly when passing alleyways, especially when there was movement in the alleyways. Niko only led Serenity down sidewalks which were well lit, keeping his eye out for cars whenever he crossed the street. At one point, a car nearly turned into them, but it stopped a few feet short before Niko had the chance to tackle Serenity out of the way.
After a good ten minutes of walking, Niko heard Serenity ask a question and, after a few seconds of thought, he slowed down in front of a crosswalk and looked at her in confusion. After noticing that she was blushing and frowning, Niko reluctantly responded, "Y-yeah...Is that bad?" He then led her through the crosswalk, still holding her wrist. Once they reached the "hotel," a small building, only three stories tall, with a horribly maintained sign which had the words, "Motel Fife" were written out in bold letters, only the M, O and the first F and the E being lit up.
Niko opened the door for Serenity and explained, "I hope it's not too bad, but, this is the only place I can afford..." as he sensed her displeasure. Once they were inside, Niko held Serenity's hand once again and led her up to the front counter, were an extremely well-bearded man who smelled of smoke and alcohol was sitting in front of a filthy cash register. "Oh! Hey! It's Niko!" the man exclaimed, his voice dry and crackling, as if burnt by thousands of years of smoke.
Niko chuckled and waved hello, and commented, "Why'd you leave the apartment, Noah?" then pulled out his wad of money and, after taking a five-dollar bill, he handed it all to the guy, who then proceeded to count it all. "After the fire, boss man had to drop me...Alright, $32...I see you're moving up in the world, eh' kid?" the man said, winking at him as he swiftly moved his head towards Serenity, then turning around to look for a key, "an' you're lucky, too, you both get the last room." Niko stared at the man in confusion, then commented, "Oh, uhh, good!" Niko turned his confusion to Serenity as well for a moment, then looked back at the man, who was dangling a key towards Niko.
Niko thanked the man and quickly grabbed the key, then led Serenity down the hallway as Noah chuckled to himself and waved at them. "If Noah's here, we're safe," Niko whispered, smiling at Serenity innocently, "he helped me get a free night in an apartment a week ago, after I bumped into you." Once Niko arrived at the staircase at the end of the hall, he climbed up two flights of stairs to the third floor and walked along the hallway until he reached, "Room 308, and it's at the end of the hall..."
Niko smelled the air briefly as he slid the keys into the lock of the door and noted that it smelled like clean linens and a fairly strong air freshener. Once the door was opened, the clean linen smell was slightly stronger. Niko held the door open for Serenity and, after finally feeling safe enough to release her hand, he gestured for her to enter. Once Serenity was in the room, he closed, locked, and deadbolted the door, then inspected all of the features of the room. [Note: as they are explained, that is the order in which he inspects them]
Right in front of the door was a small passageway which, on the right, had a surprisingly large bathroom, with a full bathtub and shower, a toilet, a rather wide sink, a large mirror, and a bunch of random bottles of bathroom supplies which Niko didn't quite understand the meanings of. The bathroom had been cleaned recently, and smelled exactly like the cleaning supplies hidden in the cabinets under the sink. To the left of the passageway in front of the door were two closets, one of which had bathrobes and extra hangers, and the other of which had an iron, an ironing board, and a few extra blankets, pillows, and what looked like pajamas. Niko only briefly scanned through the closets to make sure no one was hiding in them.
Then, in the main section of the room was a single, large bed, which took up most of the area of the room, which was placed against the wall to the right and the wall of the bathroom. On the other side of the bed was a bedside table which had an alarm clock and a lamp. Inside the bedside table were a few materials from previous guests, none of which Niko could recognize as anything besides candy wrappers without candy, and a bunch of random papers and two books, the Bible and another book which had a ton of phone numbers and names in it.
There was little to no extra space in the room, as the heater was located in the space between the bed-side table and the large table which housed a Television, a microwave, and a mini fridge. The mini fridge was empty and turned off, and the T.V. was not functional, much to Niko's dismay. He looked around the small room for anything else, even checking under the bed, but was unable to find anything. With a shrug, Niko opened the closet and stored his recently bought supplies in the one with the iron and the ironing board. He then turned over to Serenity with a concerned expression and asked, "you...seemed uncomfortable outside, so...do you want me to let you have the room to yourself?
After a good ten minutes of walking, Niko heard Serenity ask a question and, after a few seconds of thought, he slowed down in front of a crosswalk and looked at her in confusion. After noticing that she was blushing and frowning, Niko reluctantly responded, "Y-yeah...Is that bad?" He then led her through the crosswalk, still holding her wrist. Once they reached the "hotel," a small building, only three stories tall, with a horribly maintained sign which had the words, "Motel Fife" were written out in bold letters, only the M, O and the first F and the E being lit up.
Niko opened the door for Serenity and explained, "I hope it's not too bad, but, this is the only place I can afford..." as he sensed her displeasure. Once they were inside, Niko held Serenity's hand once again and led her up to the front counter, were an extremely well-bearded man who smelled of smoke and alcohol was sitting in front of a filthy cash register. "Oh! Hey! It's Niko!" the man exclaimed, his voice dry and crackling, as if burnt by thousands of years of smoke.
Niko chuckled and waved hello, and commented, "Why'd you leave the apartment, Noah?" then pulled out his wad of money and, after taking a five-dollar bill, he handed it all to the guy, who then proceeded to count it all. "After the fire, boss man had to drop me...Alright, $32...I see you're moving up in the world, eh' kid?" the man said, winking at him as he swiftly moved his head towards Serenity, then turning around to look for a key, "an' you're lucky, too, you both get the last room." Niko stared at the man in confusion, then commented, "Oh, uhh, good!" Niko turned his confusion to Serenity as well for a moment, then looked back at the man, who was dangling a key towards Niko.
Niko thanked the man and quickly grabbed the key, then led Serenity down the hallway as Noah chuckled to himself and waved at them. "If Noah's here, we're safe," Niko whispered, smiling at Serenity innocently, "he helped me get a free night in an apartment a week ago, after I bumped into you." Once Niko arrived at the staircase at the end of the hall, he climbed up two flights of stairs to the third floor and walked along the hallway until he reached, "Room 308, and it's at the end of the hall..."
Niko smelled the air briefly as he slid the keys into the lock of the door and noted that it smelled like clean linens and a fairly strong air freshener. Once the door was opened, the clean linen smell was slightly stronger. Niko held the door open for Serenity and, after finally feeling safe enough to release her hand, he gestured for her to enter. Once Serenity was in the room, he closed, locked, and deadbolted the door, then inspected all of the features of the room. [Note: as they are explained, that is the order in which he inspects them]
Right in front of the door was a small passageway which, on the right, had a surprisingly large bathroom, with a full bathtub and shower, a toilet, a rather wide sink, a large mirror, and a bunch of random bottles of bathroom supplies which Niko didn't quite understand the meanings of. The bathroom had been cleaned recently, and smelled exactly like the cleaning supplies hidden in the cabinets under the sink. To the left of the passageway in front of the door were two closets, one of which had bathrobes and extra hangers, and the other of which had an iron, an ironing board, and a few extra blankets, pillows, and what looked like pajamas. Niko only briefly scanned through the closets to make sure no one was hiding in them.
Then, in the main section of the room was a single, large bed, which took up most of the area of the room, which was placed against the wall to the right and the wall of the bathroom. On the other side of the bed was a bedside table which had an alarm clock and a lamp. Inside the bedside table were a few materials from previous guests, none of which Niko could recognize as anything besides candy wrappers without candy, and a bunch of random papers and two books, the Bible and another book which had a ton of phone numbers and names in it.
There was little to no extra space in the room, as the heater was located in the space between the bed-side table and the large table which housed a Television, a microwave, and a mini fridge. The mini fridge was empty and turned off, and the T.V. was not functional, much to Niko's dismay. He looked around the small room for anything else, even checking under the bed, but was unable to find anything. With a shrug, Niko opened the closet and stored his recently bought supplies in the one with the iron and the ironing board. He then turned over to Serenity with a concerned expression and asked, "you...seemed uncomfortable outside, so...do you want me to let you have the room to yourself?