The first thing Lionel felt was pain, numb and throbbing. Last night's events slowly flickered back to his memory soon after, creeping panic into his heart. That red flash of light... it wasn't conjured fire, it was a teleportation circle!

Heart slamming in his chest, Lionel tried to get up, but where he last remembered the cold, hard floor, there was now a bed, and he was fumbling under blankets.

But where?

A sliver of light coming through heavy curtains gave very little illumination to the room, but with his eyes slightly more adjusted to the dark Lionel could tell the room was small. There seemed to be a dresser by the bed, a desk, an armchair, and...was someone sleeping on it? Lionel tensed up and tried to move the covers to get out of the bed and leave the room, but tripped when his leg was caught and he hit the floor.

His pained groan was answered with a startled yelp that came from the armchair.

Seeing stars, Lionel heard some skittering around before more light flooded into the room as the curtains were pulled back, sending a sharp sting of pain through his eyes as they had to readjust to the daylight coming from outside. Light that was soon obscured again as something loomed over him.

"Are you okay?" Even being dazed, Lionel was conscious and aware enough to now recognize the voice.

And he didn't know how to feel about it.

"Rod...Rædnael?" He grunted, squinting painfully against the light shining behind the halfling. "What...what're you...?" he panted, feeling exhausted already,

"You got ambushed..." Rædnael said, carefully grabbing the injured officer and helping him back to the bed. "I think they were out for blood...I got you out of there."

"To...where?" Lionel only now realized his arms were bandaged, with streaks of dried blood that seeped through.

"To my place...apartment..." Rædnael scratched the back of his head, stepping back to sit on the armchair, tucking his knees to his chest. "You're...basically in the middle of the demon district. No one's gonna be looking for you here, though."

Lionel squinted, finding out really fast that making an angry face hurts a lot after getting repeatedly punched. "So, what, am I your hostage?"

Rædnael gave Lionel a sad look, not looking particularly surprised at his attitude. "Of course not. It was the only safe place I could get you to without being followed. I'll help you get back once you recover a little more...this evening, maybe."

"Just turn me over to a patrol that's going through," Lionel insisted, trying to get up again, but finding his whole body was painfully bruised, having him slump back.

Much to his dismay, the halfling shook his head. "That...probably won't go over well if I'll hand you over all injured and bruised like that. You people are quick with your trigger fingers," he said with a bitter smile, sighing. "And I can't let you out like this, alone...you specifically got yourself quite a name in here."

"And? Wouldn't they be afraid to engage?" Lionel tried to save face with a little bit of bravado.

Again, Rædnael shook his head. "More like...'this guy is an asshole' kind of name— their words, not mine," he was quick to defend himself. "Word around has it that you've been taking lead on raids, so...they think that if you're out of the picture, the refineries can thrive again."

Lionel blinked, feeling a sinking pit in his stomach. "And how do you know that?"

"I listen. Some of the exiles speak a language native to demon-kind, and I've been raised around it, so I know some too. Enough to hear them plotting when they're about their business," Rædnael explained, and as soon as it dawned on him why Lionel would ask this, his eyes shifted to the floor. "I don't get involved with the refineries...not since the night at the plaza..."

"So you knew they were going to attack me?"

"I didn't know where, exactly...but yes, I knew they planned something. I wanted to warn you, but you blocked my number, and you probably wouldn't accept any anonymous warning from a random number, would you?"

Lionel pursed his lips, sighing, "no, I wouldn't have."

"I tried sending a warning to the station, but...might've fallen through the cracks."

"Maybe because I was slated for time off, so...nobody thought they would try anything somewhere public."

"A dark alley at night isn't really public."

Lionel grumbled, looking over his injured arm and running his hand over the bandage. He'd definitely need a few more days off, or staying away from field work after he's back.

More than that, however, there was something else nagging him.

Well, two things.

Rædnael chuckled as his keen ears picked up on Lionel's stomach protesting its emptiness. "I'll get you something, don't go anywhere," he said, almost jokingly at this point, and got off the armchair to leave the room.

Lionel gave one last attempt at getting up, but abandoned that effort and let his body slump back into the bed. It felt odd. He always thought an exile's living space, especially the bed, would smell like Tar. Even a halfling.

But it smelled...normal. Familiar.

It smelled like Rodrick did...

Not even realizing he started to relax at first, Lionel tensed up again as Rædnael returned with a rustling loot in his arms.

He handed Lionel a sealed bottle of water and two wrapped protein bars. "These are from the market in the mixed district. All nice and sealed, so you know it's safe to consume," Rædnael said as he put more water and protein bars next to the bed and turned back to sit in his armchair. "I...assumed you wouldn't want anything if you didn't know where it was..."

Lionel felt like making a snarky remark, but even his stomach went out to shut him up by being louder. He nodded in thanks and opened the bottle of water, drinking almost the entire contents of it and wolfing down one of the protein bars, ending up breathing heavily like it was some kind of a struggle.

With his gut now satiated, there was still one more thing bugging him.

"Why?"

Rædnael froze halfway through reaching for a protein bar, too. "Why...what?"

"Why...did you save me, and took me in?" Lionel looked up to the halfling, a mix of confusion and frustration dancing on his face. "Why are you still being so nice to me? Other exiles just tried to kill me, and here I've already chased you around twice and almost shot you...and had you shot with a taser," he clenched his jaws, looking away. "And you're still...nice...Why?"

Pulling his hand back and resting his chin over his knees, Rædnael gave Lionel a puzzled look. "Do you really think...that me and Rodrick are that different?" He asked, tilting his head. "Even if you're a completely different, ruthless person when you're on duty...when we had our dates, you were genuinely a nice and sweet person."

It looked like Lionel wanted to scoff, but his expression softened slightly as he started speaking again. "And you were just making stuff up so I'll stick around, didn't you?"

"I didn't, no," he sighed, hugging his legs. "Of course I had to omit or change some stuff...but I didn't completely lie, either. "I don't know if my mom's dead or not, only that she's the human one of my parents. But...I don't remember her face anymore. She never left a way to contact her, and nowhere does it say what kind of exile my dad is..." Rædnael paused, watching the tip of his tail drawing circles on the armchair, "I was raised by an Orien running a foster care for unwanted halflings like me. She's been the only mother I really knew, ever..."

Lionel swallowed a lump in his throat, drinking down the rest of the water in his bottle. "Well...what about the whole job thing?"

Rædnael shrugged, "it wasn't a lie. Not entirely, either. There's another halfling working at the plaza that tried to find me an employer that could supply me with a legal access permit to the mixed district, so I won't have to keep the disguise up."

"So when you said you were moving away from Las Flores...?"

The halfling's brow furrowed, hugging himself tighter. "I couldn't just tell you I'm the same halfling you chased before. I mean...that ended like everyone thought it would," he pursed his lips, taking a deep breath. "I never meant to hurt you, Lionel...I said I was leaving so you won't think you got ghosted."

"So why..." Lionel grumbled again, looking at the halfling. "Why did you lead me on like this? Why didn't you walk away?"

"Because..." Rædnael paused, rubbing his arm. "Because you were the first person in a long time to have shown me any kindness. Even other exiles treat us like doormats, or some pests, and humans usually lump us all together. And then you were being nice to me, even if it's just because you thought I was human, and I was...happy. Even if I knew it wasn't meant to be, I..." Rædnael bit his tongue, looking away.

"You...what?"

"I..." Rædnael swallowed, a pale flush growing on his face. "I still really liked you. I still do."

Although feeling relieved at his confession, Rædnael had anticipated it would be a lot to lay onto Lionel, who was indeed taken aback, bringing their exchange to a halt. Not wanting to be overbearing, Rædnael offered him some painkillers for him to be able to feel more comfortable and get more rest, leaving the room.

Left in the dimly lit room, Lionel inspected the painkillers package to make sure it was sealed and from a reputable pharmacy, before taking two and leaning back into the pillows, not having much to do until the medicine starts taking effect.

Except thinking.

And of that he did have much to do.

Could he have realistically still insisted that Rædnael was just...nice?

That it was really a sort of forbidden love at first sight thing for both of them?

Sure, he could insist that everything Rædnael told him - and probably told Sofia, too - was just a sob story to get away with getting caught.

Then again, when he did get caught...

He was invisible, he could've made it to the next city before the unit got there.

Or strike him down before getting caught.

Lionel saw the footage from the reinforcement's body cameras that saw through the spell. Rædnael was reaching out to him, but...it wasn't like attempted backstabbing that he had ever seen. Was he really not trying to be hostile?

And after being tackled, he just...gave up?

Feeling a sour, acidic taste rise in the back of his throat, Lionel reached for another water bottle to drown the burning sensation. He fumbled around again trying to find a more comfortable position than lying on his back, eventually managing to lay on his side without sending a surge of pain through his whole body.

Turned away from the door, Lionel found himself slowly sinking into the pillow and under the covers, completely engulfed in the familiar scent. He felt a lump forming in his throat and squeezed his eyes shut. Thinking back to those little moments they shared – the chats over sweet pastries, holding hands, hugging...the kiss that ended it all...

Would it have turned out differently if he hadn't been so daringly romantic?

They could've parted with another hug and he never would've known.

Then again...does it matter?

If Rædnael's trickery really was a matter of looks alone...could he have been completely wrong about halflings? Maybe even some exiles, too?

And if that was right...he sure made himself a bastard to Rædnael.

Lionel hugged the pillow and inhaled slowly, almost feeling as though he was hugging Rodrick again.

No...hugging Rædnael wouldn't really be different, would it?

"Lionel?"

The officer snorted awake at the light touch on his shoulder as Rædnael nudged him awake, not even realizing he fell asleep.

"Looks like you got some good rest. That's a good sign," he smiled, helping Lionel sit up and bringing the armchair closer and pulling out a first aid kit. "Give me your arm, I'll redress it."

Giving him a look of doubt for a moment, Lionel eventually nodded and held his arm out. "Had a lot of practice?" He asked, wincing as the gauze was peeled off his skin.

"Yeah, when you're out on your own...you learn to take care of yourself," Rædnael shrugged, carefully cleaning it out.

While looking through the kit for a new sterile gauze, Lionel could see the halfling's tail wagging a little. "Hey, can I...ask a question?"

"Of course," Rædnael smiled, starting to redress Lionel's arm.

"That...thing you did with your tail, when you got out of the car," he started, seeing the halfling's cheeks flush again, "what's up with that?"

"It's..." Rædnael pursed his lips, trying to not apply the bandage too tightly, "like an affectionate thing that demon-kind do. Unconsciously, sometimes."

Lionel felt at a loss for words for a moment, unable to pull away while his arm was bandaged. "So...saying you like me...you really meant it..."

"I have no reason to lie anymore," Rædnael smiled, securing the bandage around the gauze and looking up to Lionel, smiling warmly.

Without even thinking this time, Lionel smiled back and chuckled.

"You really aren't like any other exile or halfling I've met before. It's...refreshing."