Richard really hasn't taken that long. Only enough to sheathe the sword and grab his brown cloak, shrugging it on.

But, since Alec was still under the window at that point, Richard didn't jump. Instead, he started climbing down the wall, which, yes, does take him a few moments longer than jumping. Then Alec is stumbling, and Richard is on the ground, and he reaches out an arm to wrap around Alec's waist, smiling up at him.

"Hey, I'm here. You want to see a fight, right? Let's go choose our ground, then. Ready?"

He would not have dared even this partial embrace if it wasn't this dark, and this empty, around them.

And if he wasn't as worried as he is.

The wall was giving like wet clay, under his fingers. And everything is glowing, a little