James still had that bandage wrapped around his arm, but it was soaked and starting to unravel. Without even flinching, he began to peel it off himself.


    The wound wasn''t too deep, but it covered a sizable area, and the moisture made it look a bit gnarly. Mirabe frowned at the sight, trying to ignore that James was sitting there all shirtless.


    Catching her worried expression, James cleared his throat and said, "It''s just a scratch, really."


    Mirabe wasn''t in the mood to chat. She grabbed the hydrogen peroxide she''d picked up from the pharmacy and started cleaning his wound. She wasn''t exactly gentle, and James''s face twitched with each touch, but knowing his girlfriend was upset, he stayed silent.


    "All done. No water for a week," Mirabe instructed, tying off the bandage.


    "Yes, ma''am," James replied with a yful grin.


    Mirabe shot him a look. "If anyone else saw you like this, their eyes would pop out."


    James raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, his voice teasing, "No one else gets that chance, only you."


    With his shirtless, toned chest right there, Mirabe''s cheeks warmed, and she instinctively leaned back. But in a swift move, his arm was around her waist.


    The warmth and strength of his touch seeped through her pajamas, and Mirabe blinked, thinking, here we go again. This charming man was at it again.


    James lowered his head, and his lips followed suit.


    ...


    After a while, James straightened Mirabe''s rumpled pajamas and kissed her forehead before pulling out a sleek box from under the couch.


    Mirabe''s cheeks were still flushed, her eyes a bit misty, and her voice was husky, "What''s this?"


    James''s gaze was intense. "Open it and see."


    With a soft "Oh," Mirabe opened the box. As she saw what was inside, her cheeks twitched slightly.


    Unfazed, James picked up what looked like a brooch and exined, "I got this from the ck market. It''s a brooch that doubles as a weapon with tracking and a self-destruct feature, perfect for your Chester."


    Even though the Davis family had stepped back from the underground scene, they still had plenty of old foes What better gift than a little protection?


    Mirabe coughed, surprisingly agreeing with James for once, "Yeah... something like this would be perfect."


    "But it''s a bit tricky to handle. I''ll show you how to use it, then you can teach your family," James suggested.


    Mirabe nced at him and agreed, "...Alright."


    If it makes him happy, why not?


    By the time James finished


    se


    exining the brooch''s features, Mirabe had yawned several times, her eyes fluttering shut, yet she still mumbled, "Yeah, I get it," and "I understand."


    Seeing that, James chuckled and shook his head. He set the brooch down and scooped her up from the couch.


    As soon as she was lifted, Mirabe''s eyes popped open, her sleepiness disappearing in an instant.


    James: "..."