Richard grimaces at the blunt but not unexpected response. "I know you don't fight, but... hiding seemed to work tonight."

He should protect Alec. It's not emotional, he tells himself, it's logical. If he can, with minimal effort, protect another person from the monsters then he should. Before he can pull himself together and assess whether his logic is in any way sound the words fall from his mouth. "When it comes again, stay in your room. I'll find you and take you somewhere safe."

God. What draws him to Alec, when he's known him all of an hour? This isn't the kind of thing Richard does.