[Prisma*Illya]

Payne, Fooly

Darien was shaken from his thoughts as Tear began to stir. Turning around, he knelt over her to make sure she was okay. He was going to tell her to lie still, but it seemed like she had enough sense to realize that herself.

"You walked into a trap," Darien said, his voice free from any kind of accusation. "Got knocked out by a table to the head."

He looked away, trying not to make her any more uncomfortable than she probably already felt for making such an obvious blunder on their first night working together.

"Don't worry, I took care of the two Dead," he said after a few moments. "The Dead Apostle will have to come out himself tomorrow then. He can't afford to have us interfering with him any longer."

He sighed, feeling a chill from the night air. Even though there shouldn't be any Dead around, the streets still didn't give off a feeling of security.

"We should probably get you back to your place," he said, easing an arm behind her back and helping her to sit up before she could protest. "You think you can walk on your own?"

He helped her to her feet, taking a deep sigh as he dabbed the wound one last time to make sure it wasn't still bleeding.

"Look.. I know you aren't happy with this arrangement, but don't run off and get yourself killed just to get out of it, okay?"

He gave her a thin smile before directing her down the road, letting her stay half a step ahead of him so he could watch to make sure she was okay.

--------------------

"No.. it's no intrusion," Eliana said breathlessly, hanging off his every word. "Atticus.."

She breathed in his name like a sweet perfume. He was hear to save her, and she wouldn't let him leave this place without her.

"I'm Eliana de Winter," she said sweetly, "but you can call me Elli."

The sky was dark now, and she could picture them in a storybook, their fated kiss beneath the moonlight. She took a tentative step forward, looking expectantly up at him.