> Work called me in early, sorry. Are you free later today?

> i could meet later, yea. evening?

> Sure! I'll let you know when I'm off shift :D

> see you then :)

Rædnael picked up his other phone to text Adder, asking if it'll be okay for them to meet in the evening or would he only be there earlier in the day. It was an odd feeling, being a young adult himself yet asking another adult in regards to him going out. It wasn't about asking permission, of course, but even under Heks' care he never really asked much.

> I can stay at the office for longer, but don't keep me waiting too long. Keep in mind how many uses you have with that disguise.

> thanks, I'll keep you posted

Against all warnings, and against the foreseen bitter end...Rædnael was excited. Giddy, even. It felt silly, falling for someone within two days of pretending to be someone else. But he still felt hopeful, nonetheless.

Maybe he'll manage to get a job soon enough and prove he's a hardworking halfling that's out to better himself, instead of taking shady jobs. That he wasn't some kind of dangerous dealer or smuggler, that deals in honest work.

If...he can even be honest in the first place.

Maybe he could stretch it, if they don't meet every day. Just texting would be nice for a while, and maybe if Lionel really got to know him, he'd change his mind at the inevitable reveal.

But for now, all he had to worry about was looking nice for his evening date.

And probably wear a different set of clothes.

As evening came by, Rædnael made his way through the back alleys and past the district line to reach the plaza, safely reaching the garden at the center of it, where Lionel said he'd meet him. Not seeing him around, Rædnael figured he could wait somewhere that's easy to spot. He walked to the garden in the center of the plaza, sitting under Captain Rosso's statue that was now lit with projectors, reflecting light on the garden. Droplets of water glistened on the flowers like glitter, having been recently watered.

Everything looked so different at night, but not like his own neighborhood. The streetlights had a warm glow to them and everything looked so magical—

"Hands where I can see them."

Rædnael yelped and raised his arms instinctively as he felt something pressed to his back, too scared to move a single muscle before hearing a chuckle, as the pressure lifted from his back.

Looking around and meeting with the sight of a police uniform first almost sent his heart out his chest before seeing Lionel's smiling face on top of them.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you so much," Lionel chuckled, reaching to pat Rædnael's arm, feeling he was still shaking while looking him up and down. "Ah, the uniform really sells it, huh? I didn't have time to go home and change— I mean, I did have time, but I didn't want to keep you waiting too long."

"Y-you...heh, y-you really got me there," Rædnael stammered, trying to keep his nerves under control, telling every one of his limbs that fight-or-flight will not be needed now after all. Trying to get himself to stop shaking. To not break down in tears.

Clearly not hiding his expressions or making them subtle, Lionel was quick to pick up on them, along with the waver in his voice. "Oh, I...I'm sorry, I didn't think I'd get you this good. Guess I thought you were jumpy when we first met just because you were shy," he apologized, shifting his weight around as he glanced to the floor, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rædnael couldn't even fathom being upset with him. "It's...yeah, I do scare easily," he tried to blurt out a chuckle to help calm himself, and release the tension between them. "Don't worry about it, that...well, now you know."

"And I swear, I'll never forget!" Lionel straightened back up. "I'll never pull something like that again, promise!"

Taken aback for a moment by the sudden burst of determination, Rædnael found himself putting a hand to his mouth but still unable to stop himself from laughing. There was no ounce of mockery in his voice. It was more akin to a thing of endearment, like seeing a puppy showing off a new trick he was taught. "It's okay, really," he chuckled, feeling his own tension slowly melting away as his heart settled back in his chest, and he found a moment to be grateful that the disguise spell was still at its most powerful, otherwise he'd get scared right into an early, unplanned reveal. "I would appreciate having no more scares, but I'll give you a pass for this one," he allowed himself one cheeky smile, pursing his lips. "Um...shall we, then?"

Lionel relaxed and smiled back, stepping closer and stretching his hand toward Rædnael.

Remembering to still be mindful of his claws, the halfling took the offer and held Lionel's hand, following him as he showed him around the plaza, which somehow seemed like a completely different place after dark, with its own sort of vibrancy.

But even if it was the same as it is in the morning, Rædnael knew he'd be more than happy to explore it all over again, guided by the hand with Lionel taking the lead.

It was a good thing Adder gave him a deadline for the night.

It felt like he'd spent the whole night like this, otherwise.

"Hey, Rodrick?"

The halfling looked over to Lionel as they left the foot of the statue in the plaza after taking a rest there, about to say their goodbyes for the night. "Hm? Yeah?"

"Who is—? Uh..." he stopped, looking hesitant, "I don't mean to pry, you don't have to answer, but...who are you going to see every time after we meet?" he asked carefully, scratching his cheek.

Rædnael paused, surprised not only at the question, but at how hesitant and non-demanding the tone was. "It's...a friend that helps me with getting a better job, he's working in one of the offices around here," he answered, skirting around the truth, "he makes time for me between his own meetings, so I don't always know when he'll be available. This time he could only see me only after-hours. I'm sure it won't be much longer now until I find something nice."

"So...you got some days off work...to look for a new job?" Lionel wondered, crossing his arms.

The halfling pursed his lips, feeling a weight forming in his chest. "Is...that illegal?"

Lionel gave him a long, stern look, before breaking and uncrossing his arms with a laugh. "Nah. Maybe a little cheeky. But there are no laws against it."

"Heh...you're not gonna let off the scares entirely, aren't you?"

"Just a teensy bit, I promise," Lionel grinned back. "You're just too cute when you're spooked."

"Ah—" Rædnael's voice was caught in his throat, feeling his face grow heated. "Come on..."

Lionel laughed, patting Rædnael's back. "Good luck with the new job thing. Here's hoping they'll still give you enough free days for us to meet up."

"I'll let you know."

"Sounds like you got pretty lucky today, Rai."

Sitting across from Adder once again, Rædnael knew he wasn't talking about the romantic kind of luck.

He was fully aware that his disguise almost broke twice in one night, and he voluntarily put himself in such proximity that Lionel might've seen through it.

"Lionel Young is known to be able to spot disguised demons a mile away," Adder pointed out, a fact unknown to the smitten halfling judging by his face losing color in an instant. "Heks' artifact is one of the strongest, and he seems to have taken a similar liking to you, enough to not even look for any telling marks, but if you give him even a hint of a reason to suspect—"

"I won't," Rædnael interrupted, a bit too defensive for Adder's comfort. He looked down to his hand, still feeling a pleasant warmth in the one Lionel held. "I'll be careful. Extra careful."

"Good. Because every mark on your personal record could make it harder to have you hired under these conditions, even if it's just a catch-and-release," Adder warned, handing Rædnael a few printed documents. "These are some potential employers. Street cleaning might be your best choice, since you can get some protective wear to not be recognized right away, and it's always a good excuse as to why you were in a certain place without being involved in something...potentially incriminating."

Opening his mouth and almost immediately closing it without uttering a word, Rædnael felt that he'd rather not know the specifics. A bit of common sense and a sprinkle of imagination would do. He took the documents, rifling through them. "I'll check with all of them. But the cleaning one does sound promising."

"Don't forget to tell them I sent you," Adder nodded, "and let me know if any of them invites you to an interview, or even to just show you the ropes."

"I will. I...I'll need all the help I could get."

"Don't sell yourself short, Rai. I'm just making sure no one pulls anything to take advantage of you," the other halfling smiled, "you'll do fine. I'm just here to show you the doors. They're for you to open and walk through."

"Thanks. I really owe you, Adder."

"My biggest reward is seeing you thrive, Rai. Mine and Heks' alike."

Feeling optimistic, Rædnael opted to keep his disguise active, in case he gets some answers tomorrow. Lionel said he might not be available that day, so he agreed to set another day to meet, saying that Rædnael should make use of his free day for its intended use, hoping he finds that 'better job'. It would be a shame to waste a disguise if it can still be useful tomorrow.

Papers tucked under his jacket for safe keeping, the halfling hurried through the demon district, far more hastily than through the plaza. He didn't want to be seen using a disguise during daytime, and after dark it was even worse. It wasn't like he'd be mistaken for a human sneaking inside, other exiles could sense him no matter how strong the spell was, but it was certainly something to raise suspicion if he'd be spotted.

Having gone through most of the way and closer to his apartment, Rædnael couldn't wait to get all the documents in order and contact as many potential future employers. But alas, it had to wait.

"Well, if it isn't the half-pipe."

Rædnael almost skidded to a halt, against his better judgment and instead of ignoring the call. He looked over the corner to see two needle-toothed demons glaring at him with their teeth bare, not unlike those who framed him at the Withering Lilly. But the duo from the bar were still under arrest, which brewed a fear of retribution in the halfling's guts as the two exiles approached him. He didn't know their names, but their kind had been named Moray, and as second-class exiles they were definitely a threat to him.

"What're you doin' here, lookin' like a human?" One of them asked, looming over him. "Didn't even know you had it in ya."

"Well...I do," Rædnael tried his best to come off as stern and not cower under the predatory maws, "and it's none of your business."

"Ooh, someone got a courage spell on, too," the Moray jeered. "So long as you haven't been caught, though...maybe we can offer you some work, to make up for our friends' jail time."

"That they tried to pin on me, too," Rædnael did his best to not let his voice crack. "I didn't take their deal, they just got me in trouble. And I'm not going to take yours," he huffed, turning to leave. He didn't know how to feel about not being followed, but he immediately shuddered as he heard their low, menacing cackle.

"Oh, you'll get desperate soon enough, half-pipe. You will."